Major data breach at dating app exposes 33,000 women; their addresses pinned on Google Maps
PTC Web Desk: A massive data breach at the dating-advice app 'Tea' has left more than 33,000 women vulnerable after their private information was leaked and misused online. According to a BBC report, the leaked data was exploited to create disturbing maps and games that targeted women across the United States.
Thousands of addresses were pinned on Google Maps, exposing users’ locations. While Google quickly took down the maps citing violations of its harassment policies, the information had already spread across other apps, websites, and social media platforms.
In one alarming example, researchers uncovered an online game built on the leaked data that invited players to rate women’s selfies and rank them based on attractiveness. Meanwhile, mentions of the Tea app surged on platforms such as 4Chan, which recorded over 12,000 related posts in just three weeks.
The fallout has now moved to the courtroom. More than 10 women have filed a class-action lawsuit against Tea’s parent company, alleging negligence and endangering users’ safety. Critics argue that the app’s lack of accountability has amplified the risks for women online.
This is not the first controversy surrounding Tea. Previous reports revealed the app’s questionable practices, including attempts to infiltrate Facebook groups for promotion and even impersonating women to monitor men’s behaviour.
The incident has intensified scrutiny of Tea’s operations, with digital safety experts warning that it highlights the urgent need for stronger data protection laws and accountability in the tech industry.
- With inputs from agencies
