A rival Tea app for men is leaking its users’ personal data and driver’s licenses

A new app, TeaOnHer, designed for men to discuss their experiences with women, has come under fire for leaking sensitive user information, including government-issued IDs and personal photos. Launched recently on the Apple App Store, this controversial platform seems to be a direct response to the existing app, Tea, which allows women to share their dating experiences. Tea has gained traction as a women’s safety tool, boasting over six million users, but it has faced criticism for the unverifiable claims made by its users. The backlash intensified when reports surfaced about a data breach affecting Tea, where a publicly accessible database was discovered, revealing over 72,000 images, including selfies and photo IDs. This incident led to a significant hack that compromised more than a million private messages, prompting Tea to disable its messaging feature. In this context, TeaOnHer has quickly climbed the ranks to become the second most popular Lifestyle app on iOS, mimicking Tea's description and appeal. However, the irony is that TeaOnHer is grappling with its own security issues. Investigations by TechCrunch unveiled significant vulnerabilities allowing unauthorized access to user data, including usernames, email addresses, and even driver’s licenses. Links to these sensitive documents are accessible online, raising serious privacy concerns. TechCrunch also discovered a list of posts on TeaOnHer that included users' email addresses and display names. The developer behind TeaOnHer, Newville Media Corporation, led by Xavier Lampkin, has not addressed these security flaws despite attempts to reach out. This oversight places any user who has registered or submitted identity documents at risk. Currently, the app has around 53,000 users, a number that is now exposed due to these vulnerabilities. In addition to the security breaches, the content shared within TeaOnHer has stirred controversy. Users are required to upload IDs and selfies for verification, but they can still access the app in “guest” mode without logging in. TechCrunch noted the presence of inappropriate content, including multiple posts of a single naked woman under various aliases, raising questions about consent. Other entries have derogatory comments aimed at women, perpetuating harmful stereotypes. Despite the issues at hand, TeaOnHer ranks high among free apps, even surpassing established names like Instagram and Netflix. The app that sparked its creation, Tea, remains at the forefront of this heated rivalry, now positioned as the second-most popular app in its category.