Apple removed Tea and TeaOnHer from the App Store after repeated complaints about safety and privacy. Both apps stay live on Google Play. The decision follows months of controversy, fast growth, and weak safeguards.
TechCrunch’s Sarah Perez reports that Apple cited clear policy breaches. Apple says both apps violated App Review Guidelines 1.2, 5.1.2, and 5.6. That means the apps failed to remove objectionable content, protect personal information, and keep user complaints in check. Appfigures first spotted the removals across all markets.
Why Apple acted
Apple says it warned the developers and asked for fixes. The developers did not address the issues. Apple also pointed to an “excessive” volume of complaints and negative reviews. Those complaints included reports of minors’ personal information appearing in the apps. That alone triggers strict enforcement under Apple’s rules.
Tea positioned itself as a dating safety tool for women. It let users post details about men, including personal information and Yelp-style reviews. The format drew viral attention and harsh criticism. Many users framed the practice as invasive and defamatory. Apple’s policies require strong reporting, blocking, and fast removal of harmful content. Tea fell short.
A record of security failures
The record looks worse when you track the breaches. TechCrunch documented a Tea data breach that exposed 72,000 images, including 3,000 selfies and photo IDs used for verification, plus 59,000 images from posts, comments, and messages. TeaOnHer, a rival app aimed at reviews of women, suffered security flaws that exposed government IDs and selfies. These failures put user identity at risk and break Apple’s privacy standards.
Appfigures says Tea reached 6.1 million lifetime downloads and $5 million in gross revenue. TeaOnHer hit 2.2 million downloads without in-app purchases. With both off the App Store, copycats now climb the charts. TeaOnHer and Him – Overheard has 354,000 downloads and jumped from No. 90 to No. 27. The vacuum creates demand. Apple’s rules set the line. Apps that ignore moderation and privacy lose their place.
