Apple confirms it pulled controversial dating apps Tea & TeaOnHer from the App Store

Summary

Controversial dating safety apps, Tea and TeaOnHer, have been pulled from the Apple App Store. The apps’ removal was first spotted by the app store intelligence provider Appfigures, which told TechCrunch the two apps were removed from the App Store on Tuesday in all markets, but remain live on Google Play. Reached for comment, Apple confirmed the apps’ removal, saying it removed Tea Dating Advice and TeaOnHer from the App Store because they failed to meet Apple’s requirements around content moderation and user privacy. The company also said it saw an excessive number of user complaints and negative reviews, which included complaints of minors’ personal information being posted in these apps. Apple communicated the issues to the developers of the apps, a representative said, but the complaints were not addressed. (Request for comment from the app developers have not yet been returned.) Specifically, Apple cited violations of its App Review Guidelines 1.2, 5.1.2, and 5.6. Rule 1.2 says apps with user-generated content should offer reporting and blocking features, and should remove objectionable content. Rule 5.1.2 says apps can’t use or share someone’s personal information without permission, and 5.6 says excessive customer reports and negative reviews violate Apple’s Developer Code of Conduct. Tea and TeaOnHer have generated a lot of headlines and interest since going viral earlier this year. Tea, which had quietly existed since 2023 before picking up steam in 2025, was pitched as a dating safety tool for women, somewhat similar to the “Are We Dating the Same Guy?” Facebook Groups. The app encouraged women to spill details about men, particularly those on dating apps. This included their personal information, Yelp-style reviews, and whether they’d dub them a “green flag” or “red flag.” Many men, however, didn’t appreciate the app’s invasion into their privacy and questioned whether sharing information like this could be considered defamation. After going viral and ge...