Tea Dating App Accused of Illegally Sharing Users' Facial Data

Case Overview: A class action lawsuit alleges the Tea Dating App illegally collects and shares users’ facial data, violating the privacy of users and Illinois’ strict Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA).

Consumers Affected: U.S. Tea App users whose facial biometrics were allegedly collected and shared without consent.

Court: U.S. Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois County Department, Chancery Division

Tea Dating App, the company behind the viral dating platform “Tea,” illegally collects and shares users’ facial data, violating the privacy of users, a new proposed class action lawsuit alleges.

The complaint, filed in Illinois, claims the app required millions of users to upload selfies and, in some cases, driver’s license photos for identity verification then used third-party services to analyze and store that data without proper consent. 

The women behind the lawsuit say this practice violates Illinois’ strict Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), a law designed to protect sensitive biometric data like facial geometry.

Plaintiffs Shocked By Sharing

The case was brought by Illinois residents Smone Honeycutt, Jeresa White, and Shantel Sago, all of whom joined the Tea App in July 2025. Each says they were required to upload selfies during registration so the company could scan their facial geometry. 

White was also asked to submit a photo of her driver’s license, which the app allegedly compared against her selfie to confirm her identity. According to the complaint, every time these verification steps occurred, Tea collected, stored, and shared unique biometric identifiers without following the legal requirements under BIPA. 

The plaintiffs argue the company never provided clear written policies on how long their data would be stored or when it would be deleted. They also say Tea never obtained the required written consent before capturing or disclosing their biometrics.

Lawsuit Details What Is At Stake Under BIPA

Illinois passed BIPA in 2008 to address growing concerns over the misuse of biometric data. Because features like facial geometry or fingerprints cannot be changed if compromised, the law imposes strict requirements on companies that handle them, the lawsuit explains. 

These include obtaining informed written consent, disclosing the purpose of data collection, and maintaining a publicly available policy for retention and destruction of biometric records.

Under the statute, companies found in violation face penalties of up to $5,000 per reckless violation and $1,000 for negligent ones. The women argue Tea’s actions were at least reckless, if not willful, given the law has been in effect for over 15 years.

Similar Legal Battles Across Industries

Tea is far from alone in facing scrutiny over biometric data practices. Haircare brand Living Proof is battling a lawsuit alleging its online “Hair Quiz” feature secretly scanned users’ faces without consent. 

Photobucket has been accused of repurposing billions of uploaded photos to train artificial intelligence tools without permission. Even household names like Nestlé, Compass Group, and Krispy Kreme have been pulled into court over alleged violations of privacy laws tied to genetic or biometric data collection.

In this lawsuit, the women want to represent all Tea App users whose facial biometrics were allegedly collected and shared without consent. They’re suing to make Tea stop using sensitive facial data without permission and to compensate users for privacy violations they say never should have happened.

Case Details

• Lawsuit: Honeycutt, et al. v. Tea Dating Advice, Inc.
• Case Number: 2025CH08182
• Court: U.S. Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois County Department, Chancery Division

Plaintiffs' Attorney:

• Eugene Y. Turin and Jordan R. Frysinger (McGuire Law, P.C.)

Have you used the Tea Dating App? Did you have to upload a selfie for verification? Share your thoughts below.