Staff Reports
In today’s digital age, it seems nothing is too indecent to wind up as the latest tech novelty, not even the ancient pastime of gossiping. Enter Tea, a new app tailored for women to spill the metaphorical tea about men they’re dating. It promises to bring the medieval stocks into the 21st century, offering a platform for ladies to display men as if they were in a second-rate dating coliseum. But one must ask, is this progression, or a step back into a new kind of digital savagery?
The app allows women to post photos of their current beaus and invite commentary from other female users on whether these suitors exhibit “red flags” or “green flags.” Unlike any courtroom worthy of the name, the men in question have no chance to offer a defense or even know they are being scrutinized. Sure, some women argue this app is a necessary tool born from rough dating experiences, but it suspends basic principles of fairness and decorum that shouldn’t be glossed over. While an anonymous app user sheepishly admits her frequent use, one can’t help but wonder if this masks a deeper issue of self-reflection avoidance.
What’s even more baffling is that this app is stirring up quite a storm on TikTok, showing an especially significant uptake in certain communities. These discussions highlight just how divided we’ve become over what counts as empowering women versus outright defamation of men. The TikTok tirades from men reportedly being torn apart amplify a larger cultural clash, one where a digital thumbs-up or thumbs-down isn’t just harmful but potentially ruinous.
This app, and others like it, ride a dangerous line between free expression and harmful gossip, mostly favoring the latter under the guise of safety. It’s a sad day when our technological advances are used not to uplift but to tear each other down. There’s a famous saying that with great power comes great responsibility. Tea missed that memo, opting instead for the reckless indulgence of basest tendencies.
If a similar app were designed for men to rate women, it’s unimaginable that it would fly under the radar without universal condemnation. Yet here we are, with a societal blind spot that lends itself to a double standard. The app’s proponents claim it serves a purpose, shielding women from problematic men. But anyone repeatedly dating “weirdo creeps” might need to pause and take a closer look in the mirror. It’s high time to reclaim sanity, common sense, and courtesy—before these new digital witch trials strip them from us entirely.
