Messaging has been turned off on the ladies’s relationship security app Tea, following a hack which has uncovered hundreds of members’ photos, posts and feedback.
In a brand new assertion the corporate mentioned: “As a part of our ongoing investigation into the cybersecurity incident involving the Tea App, we’ve lately discovered that some direct messages (DMs) had been accessed as a part of the preliminary incident.”
The hack of the app, which permits girls to do background checks on males and anonymously share “pink flag” behaviour, was revealed over the weekend.
It is a US-based women-only app with 1.6 million customers, who’ve been instructed to anticipate additional updates as extra data turns into out there.
“Our crew stays totally engaged in strengthening the Tea App’s safety, and we look ahead to sharing extra about these enhancements quickly,” the corporate mentioned.
Including: “Within the meantime, we’re working to determine any customers whose private data was concerned and might be providing free id safety providers to these people.”
Tea lets girls test whether or not potential companions are married or registered intercourse offenders in addition to run reverse picture searches to guard in opposition to “catfishing”, the place individuals use pretend on-line identities.
One of the controversial points of Tea is that it permits girls to share data on males they’ve dated to “keep away from pink flags” but additionally spotlight these with “inexperienced flag” qualities.
It beforehand revealed that hackers had accessed 72,000 photos submitted by girls.
Some included photos of ladies holding photograph identification for verification functions, which Tea’s personal privateness coverage guarantees are “deleted instantly” after authentication.
Tea mentioned the breach affected members who signed up earlier than February 2024.
The app has lately skilled a surge in reputation – in addition to criticism from some who declare it’s anti-men.