This summer, Tea Dating Advice — better known simply as the “Tea app” — became one of the most talked-about apps on social media. The concept was simple but controversial: women could post anonymous reviews about men they had dated, giving others “the tea” on modern dating experiences.
Within weeks, Tea was trending across TikTok and Twitter, sparking heated debates over privacy, accountability, and the ethics of sharing personal experiences online. But as fast as it rose to fame, Tea’s run on Apple’s App Store has now come to an abrupt end.
Apple Removes Tea and Its Copycat App
Apple officially removed Tea Dating Advice from its App Store on October 21, along with TeaOnHer — a male-focused alternative that briefly went viral in August. According to data from app analytics firm Appfigures, both apps were delisted the same day.
A spokesperson for Apple confirmed that both apps were taken down due to violations of content moderation and user privacy requirements, as well as a flood of user complaints and negative reviews.
“These apps received an excessive number of user complaints — including reports of minors’ personal information being shared,” the Apple spokesperson said. The company added that it had “communicated repeatedly” with the developers behind both apps, but “the same issues continued to persist,” leading to their removal.
Data Breaches and Lawsuits
Tea’s troubles didn’t start with Apple’s takedown. In late July, the app admitted to a major data breach that exposed roughly 72,000 images, including users’ selfies and even driver’s licenses used for identity verification. The company confirmed that some private messages were also compromised.
The fallout was immediate. Multiple lawsuits were filed against the company in the following weeks. Attorney Scott Cole, who represents some of the affected users, told Business Insider that while he didn’t believe Tea acted maliciously, “they were just sloppy.”
The breach became a turning point in the public perception of Tea — transforming it from a “trendy dating accountability tool” into a cautionary tale about data privacy and app security.
TeaOnHer Faces Similar Scrutiny
Meanwhile, TeaOnHer, the male counterpart to Tea, faced its own security concerns. In August, the app’s founder Xavier Lampkin confirmed that API documentation endpoints were briefly exposed due to a configuration error — a vulnerability that allowed access to user data.
Technology news outlet TechCrunch reported that it had been able to access some user data during that window. Lampkin said the issue was resolved “within approximately one hour” of notification and claimed that “TechCrunch was the only party to access it.”
Still, other experts found ongoing issues. Security researcher Kasra Rahjerdi told Business Insider that even in October, he could still view some user posts through TeaOnHer’s publicly accessible API. Lampkin, however, defended the design, calling it a “safety and transparency feature.”
Apple’s Final Decision
According to Apple’s statement, both Tea and TeaOnHer had multiple opportunities to fix the issues before removal. The company’s standard policy is to communicate with developers first, allowing them to bring their platforms up to compliance. In this case, Apple says it “worked repeatedly” with both development teams, but “the same violations persisted.”
Lampkin expressed disappointment over the decision, claiming that his team had implemented all of Apple’s requested safety features, including:
AI-powered content filtering with a 2,000+ word blacklist
Manual moderation teams
Enhanced protections for minors
Anti-cyberbullying systems
“We’ve worked closely with Apple through 20+ rounds of feedback, implementing every safety feature they requested and removing thousands of inappropriate posts daily,” Lampkin said in a statement.
What’s Next for the “Tea” Universe?
As of October 22, users who already have the apps installed on their iPhones report that they’re still able to use them — though new downloads are no longer possible.
Meanwhile, a new player has entered the scene: Tea On Her & Him — Overheard, another “dating tea” platform, has skyrocketed to the No. 1 spot in Apple’s Lifestyle category.
It’s unclear whether this latest app will face similar scrutiny, but the saga of Tea and TeaOnHer underscores a growing tension between viral social apps, user privacy, and platform responsibility.
For now, the story of Tea serves as a warning — that even the trendiest apps can quickly lose their footing when privacy, safety, and compliance are compromised.
For more articles like this visit Trenzest.
