Welcome to the era of Yelp-for-men.
Tea, a buzzy new app that just skyrocketed to #1 on the Apple App Store, is flipping the dating script—and lighting up your FYP in the process. It’s anonymous, unapologetic, and, depending on who you ask, either the future of dating safety or the digital Wild West. Either way, the girls have entered their villain arc, and they brought receipts.
Launched in 2023 but catching fire this July, Tea lets women leave anonymous reviews of men they’ve dated (or are curious about), complete with pics, red flags, and green flag emojis. Think: “Is he really that nice?” or “Run. 🚩🚩🚩” It’s basically the “Are We Dating the Same Guy?” Facebook group rebranded for the TikTok generation—and with way better UI.
And real ones will clock the parallel: Tea kind of gives early Facebook energy. Not the ad-slicked metaverse of now, but back when it was college-only and fueled by late-night stalking and chaotic relationship status updates. Tea taps into that same voyeuristic thrill: the shared database of guy lore, the quiet power of knowing before you swipe. But now it’s crowdsourced, semi-anonymous, and dressed in millennial pink.
But Tea isn’t just a gossip app; it’s marketed as a “dating safety” tool inspired by the founder’s mom getting catfished by a literal criminal. Users get a limited number of free searches per month, but can unlock deep dives (reverse image search, phone number lookups, even background checks) with a monthly subscription or by inviting friends.
Security Incident Raises Red Flags
Not all is tea and roses for the app right now. On July 25, Tea revealed a security breach that exposed 72,000 images from users who signed up before February 2024. We’re talking selfies (with IDs, no less) and pics from posts and DMs—sourced from a legacy storage system. No emails or phone numbers were touched, but still… major trust vibes shaken. The app’s on damage control, locking things down, and rolling out fixes. More updates are coming, so keep your eyes peeled.
Tea’s Rise: A Revolution or Just the Latest Internet Craze? Stay Tuned.
With over 4.6 million signups, Tea’s clearly struck a nerve. Some see it as empowerment. Others? A digital burn book waiting to backfire. Thinkpieces are already flying, with critics questioning privacy, consent, and whether the app crosses into defamation territory. It’s giving Black Mirror, but in lip gloss and platform Docs.
Still, the vibe online is mostly supportive. With a 4.6-star rating and currently ranked as the #1 lifestyle app on the Apple App Store, and with TikTok being flooded with girls sharing green flags and tea from their hometowns, it’s clear: we’re not in Tinderland anymore.
Whether Tea becomes the next Lulu or rewrites the rules of dating remains to be seen. But for now? The girls are watching. And posting.
