Tea App Hit by Massive Data Leak as 72,000 User Images Spill Online, Including IDs and Selfies
In what might just be the tech world’s latest horror show, Tea, the trending app designed to help women navigate the wild west of online dating, has been hit by a massive data breach. Not a minor hiccup. A full-blown 72,000-image-leak type of breach. Yep, it’s as serious as it sounds.
- Tea App Hit by Massive Data Leak as 72,000 User Images Spill Online, Including IDs and Selfies
- The Leak: What Exactly Got Out?
- So What Data Wasn’t Leaked?
- From Anti-Catfish Crusader to Privacy Meltdown
- How Did This Leak Go Public?
- Tea Tops the App Charts Despite the Controversy
- What Happens Now?
- Final Thought
The Leak: What Exactly Got Out?
According to reports, the breach took place on Friday, July 25, and exposed:
-
13,000 user selfies
-
A significant number of those included official photo ID documents used for account verification
-
Another 59,000 images pulled from posts, DMs, and comments within the app
The app that was supposed to help women stay safe online has now had thousands of personal images, including verification photos, spilled across the internet. The irony is loud.
So What Data Wasn’t Leaked?
There is some small comfort. Tea’s team says:
-
No phone numbers or email addresses were accessed
-
Only accounts created before February 2024 were affected
-
No financial or payment data was involved
-
Third-party cybersecurity experts are now handling the clean-up
Still, with tens of thousands of images now potentially in the wrong hands, it’s a huge violation of trust, especially for an app built on the promise of safety.
From Anti-Catfish Crusader to Privacy Meltdown
Tea became the talk of the app world in 2025 for all the right reasons. It marketed itself as a dating advice tool that could:
-
Expose catfishers
-
Uncover hidden marriages
-
Provide women with smarter tools to date safely
With over four million users, the app quickly found its niche. Women were drawn to a space that promised to call out shady behavior and hand them the power. But that promise just took a hit.
How Did This Leak Go Public?
Here’s where things take a turn into internet chaos. The leaked database was reportedly discovered by users on 4chan, yes, that 4chan, known for its anything-goes culture and history of hosting toxic content.
The leak included a direct list of image attachments tied to Tea’s backend. For a brief window, that list was open to anyone who had the link. The page has since been locked down, but the damage is already done. Screenshots and images tied to the leak have started circulating online, especially on X (formerly Twitter), drawing the expected wave of trolling and harassment.
Tea Tops the App Charts Despite the Controversy
According to App Store tracking service SensorTower, Tea is now the number one free app in the US and also leads the lifestyle category. But the buzz isn’t all positive. The app has already faced criticism for being more about calling out men than giving genuine dating advice. With this data breach, that debate just escalated.
What Happens Now?
Tea says it is working around the clock with cybersecurity firms to patch vulnerabilities and understand the full extent of the breach. The company insists that protecting user privacy is its top priority. But when an app built on trust ends up leaking personal ID selfies, rebuilding that trust becomes an uphill climb.
Users who joined Tea before February 2024 are being advised to stay alert for any misuse of their photos and to secure their online presence. The company has not yet confirmed if affected users will be directly contacted.
Final Thought
This isn’t just a reminder that your data is never truly safe online. It’s a loud wake-up call. Even apps built around safety can slip up. And when they do, the consequences are especially harsh, particularly for women. Whether you use Tea or any other dating platform, take a beat before uploading that ID photo, know the risks, and always read the fine print. Because once it’s out there, there’s no ctrl+Z.
