The popular dating app Tea has suffered a major data breach, exposing users’ sensitive information such as drivers’ licenses and direct messages to the public. The breach, which occurred in July 2023, involved hackers accessing users’ personal data, including government IDs used as verification tools.
Only users who signed up prior to February 2024 were affected by the breach. Online trolls quickly took advantage of the leaked metadata, creating a map of Tea subscribers’ locations. This has raised concerns about online safety and the potential for harm to those whose information was compromised.
Whisper networks, which are designed to facilitate anonymous discussions between women, have been criticized for their digital counterparts like the Tea app. Experts say that these networks can be effective in sound-triggers on abusers, but they also carry risks of losing elements of what makes real-world communications effective.
Critics argue that online anonymity can lead to bad-faith accusations and unchecks allegations. This can result in online mob behavior, where people publicly shame the individual at the other end of a claim, potentially causing harm to both parties involved.
Source: https://www.npr.org/2025/08/02/nx-s1-5483886/tea-app-breach-hacked-whisper-networks