Tea Dating, the controversial app for women that allows them to rate men and generates a wave of criticism.

In a time of saturation with traditional dating apps , a new proposal is gaining popularity and generating controversy in the United States . It's called Tea Dating , an app that allows women to anonymously share experiences, warnings, and reviews about men they've dated. Its premise is clear: provide a warning before meeting someone .

Launched in 2023, Tea went viral in July of this year, reaching number one in the US App Store in the "Lifestyle" category. In just 20 days, the app saw a 185% increase in downloads, according to data from Sensor Tower .

Behind its development is Sean Cook, a former Salesforce and Shutterfly executive, who was inspired by a personal experience: his mother was a victim of catfishing - a deceptive online practice where a person creates a false identity, usually using photos and details of another person - and discovered that her date had a criminal record .

This disruptive dating app isn't a replacement for Tinder, Bumble, or Hinge , but rather a complementary tool . Users can search for a man by name, estimated age, and city .

They can also post reviews (anonymously and with pseudonyms), upload screenshots of social media profiles, and rate with “red flags” or “green flags,” which function as warning or recommendation signals , respectively.

The app also allows you to mark alerts with names so you'll receive notifications if someone comments on a potential date, ex, or partner.

While users must declare that everything they post is true, there is no verification mechanism . Some features, such as unlimited searches or tools like reverse image search or background checks, are unlocked through a paid subscription that costs about $15 per month.

To date, Tea has over 60,000 positive reviews with an average rating of 4.7/5 and claims to donate 10% of its profits to the National Domestic Violence Hotline , a helpline for victims of gender-based violence in the United States.

On the other hand, Tea's growth has rekindled a debate about privacy, consent, and justice in the digital age. For many women, the app serves as a support network and a self-defense tool against situations of abuse, manipulation, or infidelity.

In fact, it's inspired by previous initiatives like the "Are we dating the same guy?" Facebook groups that emerged in 2022.

But critics warn of the risk of false accusations, unverified harassment, and reputational damage . Some cases published on social media describe how men were stigmatized after unfounded negative reviews, and how this affected them in future dates.

Tea Dating joins a growing wave of technological developments focused on improving women's safety in digital and personal relationships.

From advanced features in dating apps that detect offensive messages to emergency buttons and identity verification systems, the tech industry is trying to address a real need: making meeting strangers safer.

The app has not yet commented on future expansion plans to other countries, such as Argentina or Spanish-speaking countries, where the debate over online dating safety is also on the rise. If you try to download it from the Google Play Store, it appears listed but unavailable .

Amidst the frenzy over its popularity, Tea Dating recently suffered a cyberattack that exposed the private information of thousands of users .

According to the company, the attackers accessed an old database containing more than 70,000 images , including selfies, IDs, and content shared on internal forums. Some of this material was shared on sites like 4chan , sparking a wave of criticism over the lack of protection of sensitive data.

Tea's team confirmed it has launched an investigation with cybersecurity experts and clarified that there is no evidence that passwords or other sensitive information other than the images were leaked. However, the episode has reignited the debate about the ethical limits of these types of platforms.