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Apple has officially removed the viral dating safety apps Tea and TeaOnHer from the App Store, citing multiple violations of its content moderation and privacy rules. The apps’ disappearance was first reported by analytics firm Appfigures, which confirmed they were pulled globally on Tuesday — though both apps remain available on Google Play for now.
An Apple spokesperson told TechCrunch that the company took down Tea Dating Advice and TeaOnHer after receiving “an excessive number of user complaints and negative reviews,” many of which accused the apps of exposing minors’ personal information.
According to Apple, developers were notified of the issues but failed to address them. The company cited App Review Guidelines 1.2, 5.1.2, and 5.6, which cover user-generated content, data privacy, and developer conduct. Specifically, Apple requires apps to include tools for reporting, blocking, and removing objectionable content, prohibits the sharing of personal data without consent, and flags apps that receive repeated customer complaints as violating its Code of Conduct.
The removal follows months of controversy surrounding the two apps, which had gone viral earlier this year. Tea, originally launched in 2023, branded itself as a “dating safety tool for women” — a kind of digital watchdog inspired by the viral “Are We Dating the Same Guy?” Facebook groups. Users could anonymously share reviews and details about men, including personal information and “green flag” or “red flag” ratings.
While some women praised the app as empowering, critics — especially men — slammed it for enabling privacy violations and potential defamation. The backlash intensified after a major data breach in mid-2025 exposed 72,000 images, including 3,000 photo IDs used for verification and tens of thousands of private photos from posts and messages.
In response, TeaOnHer launched as a mirror platform for men to review women — but it fared no better. By August, TechCrunch revealed that the app also suffered serious security flaws, leaking selfies, government IDs, and private user data.
Despite the controversies, Tea managed 6.1 million lifetime downloads and earned $5 million in gross revenue, while TeaOnHer drew 2.2 million downloads before Apple’s takedown.
With both apps now gone from iOS, copycats are quickly filling the gap. One rising clone, TeaOnHer and Him – Overheard, has already seen a sharp spike to 354,000 downloads, leaping from No. 90 to No. 27 on the Top App Charts.
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