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How to remove your post from the Tea App, for free

Services charge hundreds and sometimes thousands to file this for you. It is a DMCA takedown notice, it is one form, and the wording you need is on this page.

Last checked September 2026 · Shield Date does not perform removals — we explain how they work

Before you start

You have to be the owner of the photo

A DMCA notice rests on you owning the copyright, and you own a photograph because you took it. That includes photos you set up yourself — if you propped your phone on something, or used a tripod and the camera timer, you controlled the angle, framing and moment, so you are the author of the work.

If someone else pressed the shutter, the copyright is theirs unless they have signed the rights over to you.

Why this works on the Tea App

Tea has retained outside counsel to handle takedown requests, which tells you they are treating the copyright process seriously rather than informally.

The reason any platform takes DMCA notices seriously is that ignoring a valid one puts their safe harbour protection at risk under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. A general complaint about a post being unfair carries no such consequence. A copyright notice does.

The process

  1. Get the photo and the link

    You need two things:

    • The exact photo being used.
    • The direct link to the post it appears in.

    Men cannot see inside the app, so unless you already have a copy of the post, someone will need to get that link for you.

  2. Check the photo is actually yours

    Find the original file on your phone, camera, or wherever you keep it. The original carries data a screenshot does not, and it is what establishes you as the author. Keep it unedited.

  3. Open a DMCA request ticket

    support.teaforwomen.com/support/tickets/new?ticket_form=dmca_request_form

    This is a dedicated DMCA form, not the in-app report button. The in-app route goes to ordinary moderation, which is a different process with a different outcome.

  4. Write the notice

    Keep it to the copyright question. Do not describe the dispute, the person who posted it, or what the post says about you — none of that is what the notice is for, and it weakens the filing.

    Dear Counsel, I write regarding my DMCA notice. To ensure full compliance with 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(3), I confirm the following: I, [full legal name], am the copyright owner of the work at issue. The image was created using a self-directed photography setup in which I controlled the angle, lighting, framing, and timing of the capture. As such, I am the sole author and owner of the work under 17 U.S.C. § 106. The work depicts: [describe what the image shows]. I affirm under penalty of perjury that this information is accurate and that I own, or am authorised to enforce, the exclusive rights in this work. Address: [full address] Electronic Signature: [full legal name] This notice places your client on actual notice of infringement. Please confirm that the infringing material has been removed or disabled. Sincerely, [full legal name]

    Describe how you actually took the photo. If it was a straightforward selfie, say that instead — it is no weaker, and it has the advantage of being what happened.

  5. What happens next

    A valid notice is reviewed and the material removed or disabled. The person who posted it is notified, and from that point the burden is on them to contest it rather than on you to argue.

    They can file a counter-notice claiming the use was lawful. In practice that is rare, because it means giving their real name and address and accepting court jurisdiction.

What not to do

These make things worse
  • Don't threaten legal action in writing before speaking to a lawyer.
  • Be hesitant paying anyone who guarantees a removal. Tea decides, not them.

Posted in a Facebook group too? The process there is different — different form, different evidence, and one predictable pushback from Meta. Here is the AWDTSG guide.

Find out if you are posted on the Tea App

If you do not have someone who can look for you, that is what we do: a person searches the Tea App and the AWDTSG group covering your region by hand and sends you screenshots, the links, and proof of where we looked. $49 once, back within 24 hours at most.

Find out where you're posted →

This guide explains publicly available platform processes and is not legal advice. Shield Date does not contact posters, negotiate on your behalf, or attempt removals for anyone — and no one can guarantee a removal, because the platform makes that decision.