I joined for security. Then my address was leaked and shared

Sally was scolded by her ex -boyfriend.

After finishing his relationship, he will turn into work – and even his friends’ homes. He eventually had to move.

She was careful when she finally returned to the dating scene. She decided to sign up for a new app, where women can check background and share experiences of men they were dating.

The user of the US-based tea dating advice app, which is available only in the US, can flagged for potential partners married or registered sexual criminals.

They can find a reverse image to investigate against those using fake identity. It was also possible to mark men as red or green flags and share unproven gossip.

The app was established in 2023, but in July this year climbed the number one place in the chart in the US. This allegedly attracted more than a million users.

Sally, whose name has been changed to protect his identity, thought that it was interesting to read what men are being said about men in his area. But he found it “gossip-Y” and some information on it was incredible.

In late July, The app was hackedMore than 70,000 images were leaked and posted on the online message board 4chan – including IDS and users’ selfies, which were only for verification purposes and “immediately removed”.

The leakage was seized by online micinist groups, and within hours, many websites were designed to humiliate women who signed up.

Two maps were published on social media, with 33,000 pins spread in the United States. The worst fear, zoom in Sally, looking for his house.

He found – although it was not associated with his name, his exact address was revealed to see anyone.

She was worried that her stacker east-partner could now track her. She says, “Before I did not know where I lived or worked and I went to a big length to keep it in this way.” “I’m very out.”

The BBC alerted Google of the two maps hosted on Google Maps, which is to represent the places of women who signed up for tea.

The company said the map violated their harassment policies and removed them. Since the violation, more than 10 women have lodged class action against the company who owns tea.

A spokesman for the tea app stated that “they were working to identify and inform users whose personal information was involved and informed under the implemented law” and affected users “identity theft and credit monitoring services would be offered”.

He also said that they “increase resources” to increase security for current membership, that they are proud of what they are proud of [they’ve] Manufactured “, and that their” mission is more important than ever “.

Since the violation, the BBC has found the specialty of websites, apps and even a “game” leaked data that encourages harassment towards women involved in the app.

The “game” puts a selfie presented by the head-to-head of women, instructs users to click on the “top 50” and the leaderboard of “Bottom 50”, which they like. BBC could not identify the website manufacturer.

Outside the wrong groups, users were also re -preparing the material that achieved the appearance of women on X and Tikok.

Copycat tea apps for men have also been prelined – but there is no suggestion that men are doing so for their safety. Instead, users post harsh outrageous reviews of women.

In screen recording seen by BBC, users comment on women’s sexuality and post intimate images of women without their consent in apps.

The BBC also identified more than 10 “tea” groups on the messaging app Telegram, where male sexually and apparently shares AI-borne images to rate or gossip for others. They post women’s social media handles, reveal their identity.

A telegram spokesperson stated that “illegal pornography is clearly prohibited” and “removed when discovered”.

John Yanchunis, a lawyer, who represents one of the women against the company, who owns the app, said she was subject to online misuse.

“This caused a tremendous amount of emotional crisis,” he told the BBC. “He became a matter of ridicule.”

It is surprising that the leak was exploited.

The app had criticized since it had increased in popularity. Defamation, with the spread of unproven allegations, and doxing, when information of someone’s identity is published without their consent, there were real possibilities.

The men wanted to take the app down – and when they found the data breech, they saw it as a chance for vengeance.

“This leak was raised by the Missoginist communities as a great reason and one that they are clearly proud,” says Calum Hood, head of the center research for countering digital hate.

More than 12,000 posts on 4chan referred to the tea dating app from 23 July, three days before the leak, till August 12, he said.

Online, the tea app leak is being referred to as part of the “gender war” and as the last straw in heterosexual dating.

Such evidence is increasing which suggest that heterosexual youth are getting away from traditional dating and long -term romantic relations.

Negative experiences in online dating are adding these stresses.

A 2023 research found that in the US, more than half of women experiences on the dating app are negative, women are more likely to report unwanted behavior from men and feel insecure on dating apps.

A sociologist at Manchester Metropolitan University, Dr. Jenny Van Hoff says how many young women allegedly want to participate in online dating.

Contrary to meeting partners through friends or work, there are less results for poor online dating behavior.

“Dating apps have a feeling of fear and lack of faith on dating apps.” “Missogi is just more complicated in dating.”

The previous avatar for the tea app, such as ‘are we the same man’ dating thousands of followers with social media groups, existed globally for years.

First, he was honored as a new way to justify men. But, like tea, the dispute was followed, and many people were presented incorrectly from what was posted.

Allegedly with more than a million users, the TEAP app took this concept on a new scale.

But along with the credibility of the information posted by the experts, the potential benefits behind the app have also questioned the motivations.

For women wishing to use the app for safety, verifying information can be challenging. Meanwhile, men, who are unable to reach the app, have no way to know if wrong information about them has been posted.

Dr. The van Hoff said that the leak was “proving the point of women why this app found it necessary”.

“It is definitely not telling these women about any idea that they have about men and male behavior.”

They believe that the safety of women has been compromised, and men have felt that their actions have been excluded from the context and exploited for gossip.

For Sally, the leak has affected his sense of security.

“I am moving forward just to feel safe with loved ones,” she says.