The women-only dating safety app Tea experienced a significant data breach after hackers discovered its unsecured backend database. This resulted in the exposure of over 72,000 private images, including selfies and government IDs, alongside private messages. Users’ sensitive information was quickly disseminated online, with some data even mapped for easy searching, despite the app's promise to create a safe space for women. The leaked data amounted to 59.3 GB, including documentation contradicting claims that only old data was compromised. The breach occurred due to vulnerabilities attributed to the app's development methods, labeled as ‘vibe coding,’ where security protocols were inadequately implemented. Critics noted that the app, initially claimed to safeguard women's identities from male predators, ironically ended up endangering its users. Users are now advised to consider credit monitoring and take further steps to protect their personal information. The incident has alarmed many about the security risks posed by reliance on generative AI for app development, exposing flaws that can be exploited by hackers.

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