Tea, an app designed to help women share anonymous reviews and experiences about their dates, has confirmed a data breach that resulted in the exposure of over 72,000 user images.

The incident, which was first reported by 404 Media on Friday, has sparked privacy concerns, especially given the app's stated mission of enhancing women's safety in the dating world.

In a statement to Reuters on Saturday, a Tea spokesperson revealed that the company had detected "unauthorized access" to its systems.

The breach affected a broad range of image data, including approximately 13,000 selfies and identification photos submitted during the user verification process. An additional 59,000 images, pulled from user posts, comments, and direct messages, were also compromised.

"We have engaged third-party cybersecurity experts and are working around the clock to secure our systems," the company said, emphasizing that no user email addresses or phone numbers had been exposed. According to the company, the breach only impacted accounts created before February 2024.

Tea was created as a space where verified women can candidly share their dating experiences, offering Yelp-style reviews about men they’ve gone out with.

The platform has gained a loyal and growing user base, recently claiming via Instagram that over two million women have requested to join the app in just a matter of days.

To gain access to the platform, users must go through a verification process that involves submitting selfies, which the app had assured would be deleted after review. The exposure of such images, particularly identification photos, has now led to questions about data handling and transparency.

While the company works to contain the breach and reassure users, the incident raises broader concerns about the vulnerabilities of niche social platforms even those built with user protection at their core. Investigations are ongoing, and affected users are expected to receive direct communication from the platform in the coming days.