Apple Removes Tea Dating Apps Over Privacy Violations and User Complaints

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Apple this week removed dating review apps Tea Dating Advice and TeaOnHer from the App Store for violating its content moderation policies.

iOS App Store General Feature Black
The apps were pulled in all markets on October 21, and Apple told TechCrunch that the app developers did not meet requirements for moderation and user privacy, violating ‌App Store‌ guidelines 1.2, 5.1.2, and 5.6. Apple also saw an "excessive number of user complaints and negative reviews," including complaints that people were sharing the personal information of minors.

Rule 1.2 says that apps need to have reporting and blocking features, and should remove objectionable content. Rule 5.1.2 prohibits apps from sharing users' personal information without permission, and rule 5.6 says that excessive negative reviews violate Apple's Developer Code of Conduct.

Apple contacted the developers of each app before removing the apps, but they did not address the problems.

For background, Tea is an app designed to let women share details about the men they were dating, offering "red flag" and "green flag" ratings. The app launched in 2023, but it went viral earlier this year, and its popularity led to a data breach.

TeaOnHer is a separate app from a different developer that launched after Tea became popular, and it too had major security issues. Neither developer has commented on the situation.

Both apps are still available on Google Play, and on the ‌App Store‌, TechCrunch has found multiple copycat apps.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Tag: App Store

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Top Rated Comments

bollman Avatar
bollman
6 days ago at 08:21 pm

The app still violates Eu privacy laws so instead of just breaking some store policy it would be criminally liable ?‍♂️

And they have been in the store for months with copycats that still aren’t removed despite apples review process. It seems like the effect in negligible.
GDPR to the rescue!
Most Americans don't realize that EU has _actual_ laws that protect its citizens. Like the GDPR, with hefty fines attached.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Sophisticatednut Avatar
Sophisticatednut
6 days ago at 08:10 pm

The EU is proud to announce that these apps will be available on alternate app stores on the continent!

Consumers: 1, Apple: 0.

“Thanks EU!” - minors with personal information shared.

In all seriousness, here is a prime example of how opening up the app store will absolutely hurt real people.
The app still violates Eu privacy laws so instead of just breaking some store policy it would be criminally liable ?‍♂️

And they have been in the store for months with copycats that still aren’t removed despite apples review process. It seems like the effect in negligible.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
surferfb Avatar
surferfb
6 days ago at 04:30 pm
The EU is proud to announce that these apps will be available on alternate app stores on the continent!

Consumers: 1, Apple: 0.

“Thanks EU!” - minors with personal information shared.

In all seriousness, here is a prime example of how opening up the app store will absolutely hurt real people.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tubamajuba Avatar
Tubamajuba
6 days ago at 03:26 pm

Rule 5.1.2 prohibits apps from sharing users' personal information without permission
Well that's pretty cut and dry, now isn't it?
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
chelsel Avatar
chelsel
6 days ago at 07:10 pm
For all the people that don't care about privacy, this should be a wake up call... maybe you want to keep your dating life private. Maybe you're a cheap date. Maybe you're bad in bed. These are things that are protected by strong privacy policies. Glad Apple is stepping up and protecting people.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Elwe Avatar
Elwe
6 days ago at 04:41 pm
My friend is a partner at a small but prestigious law firm that services Silicon Valley. She says that there are a number of recent practices and companies against which firms like hers are preparing actions. This Tea app is one, but she discussed six more with me and was ready to discuss even more. One that she also mentioned was Uber. The recently announced ability to allow women--and only women--to both request same sex passengers and drivers:

"
Dubbed "Women Preferences," the feature will provide women riders the option of only pairing with women drivers. It will also work the other way around, allowing female drivers to taxi only female riders.

"

She believes some lawyer in the room would definitely have told Uber leadership that that this is 100% illegal, and that it would have been been easy to make legal by allow for either(all)/all. But that either marketing or leadership or whoever wouldn't have like that messaging. But that when they are sued, it will be trivial for them to open these paths to other than women and have the courts take the messaging hit.

Outside of Title IX areas that courts have explicitly authorized, she believes many other areas are likely to face significant litigation. I've never known her to be wrong about the law, but I guess we'll see.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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