The controversial dating safety apps, Tea and TeaOnHer, have been removed from the Apple App Store. The removal was first identified by the app store intelligence provider Appfigures, which reported the two apps were taken down on Tuesday in all markets. They remain available on Google Play.
Apple confirmed the removal, stating the Tea Dating Advice and TeaOnHer apps were taken down for failing to meet its requirements for content moderation and user privacy. The company also cited an excessive number of user complaints and negative reviews, which included reports of minors’ personal information being posted on the apps.
Apple communicated these issues to the app developers, but the complaints were not addressed. A request for comment from the app developers has not been returned.
Specifically, Apple cited violations of its App Review Guidelines. The violations included rules requiring apps with user-generated content to have reporting and blocking features, rules against using or sharing personal information without permission, and rules stating that excessive customer reports and negative reviews violate the Developer Code of Conduct.
Tea and TeaOnHer generated significant headlines and interest after going viral earlier this year. Tea, which had existed since 2023, was pitched as a dating safety tool for women, similar in concept to certain Facebook groups. The app encouraged women to share details about men from dating apps, including their personal information, reviews, and whether they were considered a good or bad match.
Many men criticized the app for invading their privacy and questioned if sharing such information could be considered defamation. After going viral, Tea suffered a data breach over the summer. Hackers gained access to 72,000 images, which included 3,000 selfies and photo IDs used for verification, as well as 59,000 images from posts and messages.
Later, a rival app called TeaOnHer launched to offer men the same ability to share information about women. However, it was quickly beset by security issues that exposed users’ personal information, including government IDs and selfies.
According to Appfigures, the Tea app saw 6.1 million total lifetime downloads and generated five million dollars in gross revenue. TeaOnHer had 2.2 million downloads and did not offer in-app purchases. The apps remain live on Google Play for now.
Following their removal from the App Store, copycat apps are gaining traction. For instance, an app called TeaOnHer and Him – Overheard has 354,000 total downloads and has jumped from number 90 to number 27 on the Overall Top App Charts.