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Dating App Raw Exposes User Data, Including Location and Sexual Preferences
- Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
- Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager
Raw app leaked user locations and personal data due to a major security flaw, raising concerns over its new AI-powered relationship tracking device.
In a rush? Here are the quick facts:
- Data included names, birthdays, and sexual preferences—no encryption found.
- Flaw was an IDOR bug; anyone could access profiles via browser.
- Raw hasn’t undergone independent security audits despite the exposure.
A serious security flaw in dating app Raw exposed users’ personal and location data to anyone online, as first revealed by TechCrunch . The exposed data revealed users’ names, birthdates, sexual preferences, and exact GPS coordinates allowing location tracking down to street-level.
Raw launched in 2023 reached more than 500,000 downloads while it encourages users to build genuine relationships by requiring daily selfie uploads.
TechCrunch notes that this week, the company also announced a wearable device, the Raw Ring, claiming it can monitor a partner’s heart rate and offer AI-generated insights, potentially to spot cheating.
Despite claims of using end-to-end encryption, TechCrunch found no such protections. Their analysis showed that user data could be accessed freely through a browser using a known web address.
“All previously exposed endpoints have been secured, and we’ve implemented additional safeguards to prevent similar issues in the future,” Raw co-founder Marina Anderson said via email to TechCrunch.
When asked, Anderson admitted the app hasn’t undergone any third-party security audits. She added the company is still investigating and will “submit a detailed report to the relevant data protection authorities under applicable regulations.”
TechCrunch explains that this type of vulnerability found is known as an insecure direct object reference (IDOR)—a common but dangerous bug. This occurs when the app uses easily guessable identifiers, like numbers or file names, to control access to data.
For example, if a user’s profile is accessed by a URL with a number at the end (like /profile/123), an attacker could change that number to view someone else’s profile (e.g., /profile/124). Without proper security checks, they can exploit this and access or modify data they shouldn’t have access to.
The security researchers at TechCrunch detected the flaw through a test with simulated data and location which revealed the leak in just a few minutes. The flaw enabled users to access profiles by modifying a single number in the application’s web address before developers fixed the issue.
Despite the fix, concerns remain over Raw’s data practices and its new device’s potential for invasive surveillance.
UAE to Teach AI In All Public Schools By 2025
- Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
- Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager
The UAE will introduce AI in public schools by 2025, as part of broader efforts to lead in global technology and infrastructure.
In a rush? Here are the quick facts:
- UAE will teach AI in all public schools from 2025–2026 school year.
- Curriculum includes ethics, real-world uses, and basic AI concepts.
- UAE joins China and others in national AI education initiatives.
The United Arab Emirates declared that all public schools starting from kindergarten up to 12th grade will teach AI, starting from the 2025–2026 academic year, as first reported by Bloomberg . The national initiative aims to make the UAE the top AI leader in the region and potentially worldwide.
Bloomberg reported that the new curriculum will teach students fundamental AI concepts alongside practical applications, as well as ethical aspects. This educational approach mirrors current efforts by global powers such as China because they started teaching AI to their primary and secondary students, as noted by Bloomberg.
The UAE is not stopping at education. The country has also begun using AI to draft and review national laws . “This new legislative system, powered by artificial intelligence, will change how we create laws, making the process faster and more precise,” said Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai’s ruler and the UAE’s vice-president.
A newly established Regulatory Intelligence Office will supervise this AI-assisted lawmaking. The system will analyze data from court cases, public services, together with legal records to develop legal reforms. The project aims to reduce regulatory review costs and shorten the legislative process by 70%.
Some experts are cautious. “They continue to hallucinate [and] have reliability issues and robustness issues […] We can’t trust them,” said Oxford University researcher Vincent Straub. Others see the UAE’s centralized political system as an advantage for fast, large-scale innovation. “They’re able to move fast. They can sort of experiment with things,” said Keegan McBride of the Oxford Internet Institute.
The UAE’s ambitions extend beyond its borders. In February, it partnered with France to build Europe’s largest AI data center , with investments between €30 and €50 billion. “The two leaders expressed their desire to create a strategic partnership in the field of AI,” said a joint statement following the agreement between UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and French President Emmanuel Macron.
The global race in AI is heating up. U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to visit the UAE this month, amid talks of easing restrictions on chipmaker Nvidia’s sales to the country, as noted by Bloomberg.
At home, Trump has also signed an executive order to promote AI education in American schools . China, too, is investing heavily in AI education, from elementary school to top universities.
By embedding AI into classrooms and courtrooms, the UAE hopes to shape a future where the technology isn’t just used—it’s mastered.
