NEW DELHI: Are you receiving messages or calls from hospitals or labs to get yourself tested if you are unwell as COVID-19 cases are increasing in the country? If yes, you are among the hundreds of people in the country who are inundated with unsolicited spam messages.
A latest nationwide survey has said that ever since COVID-19 cases have been increasing in India, nearly one in five people are receiving promotional communication from hospitals and labs where they took the COVID-19 vaccines or tests during the earlier surges.
In fact, under the recently released Draft Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, 2025, even if a customer has shared their contact details, the retailer, the diagnostic clinic or any other entity must keep them secure. They cannot use it for making spam calls or sending promotion messages unless explicit permission has been granted.
However, the LocalCircles survey found that in many cases, a person who once used the services of a diagnostic clinic or hospital is inundated with spam messages and calls.
The survey, conducted among 18,000 people in 301 districts, found that 18% of people claimed that they are receiving promotional communication from third parties/labs/hospitals where they got COVID-19 tests done during the earlier COVID-19 surges in the country.
Also, as many as 17% indicated that they are receiving promotional communication from the hospitals and labs where they received the COVID-19 vaccine and from third parties.
According to Sachin Taparia, founder of LocalCircles, they conducted the survey after receiving hundreds of messages from people complaining that they were getting unsolicited calls and messages from labs and hospitals they had visited earlier.
So they asked the surveyors whether they had observed that data shared by them with private entities for getting a COVID test done between 2021 and 2023 is now being used to sell other health-related products and services to them. As many as 18% accepted that they get such pesky calls and messages.
Next, they asked people whether they have observed that data shared by them with private entities for getting a vaccine dose between 2021 and 2023 is now being used to sell other health-related products and services to them. The response from 17 per cent was a big yes.
Taparia said that with the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Rules, 2025, which is still to be finalised, consumers continue to bear the harassment or block calls from unwanted numbers.
The other options before them are to approach an adjudicating officer under section 46 of the IT Act to file for compensation or file a civil suit for breach of privacy or confidence.
“Based on our survey findings, it is safe to conclude that data of some citizens have been compromised by hospitals/ labs while compiling patient data during the COVID test or administering the vaccine or booster dose,” he added.
“This unethical practice appears to be a clear misuse of information. The government needs to not only protect citizens’ data given to its agencies with specific purposes but also ensure that private entities safeguard the same and do not use it for any commercial purpose themselves or through third parties, as made clear through the survey. Hopefully, DPDP Rules will soon plug this misuse of citizens’ data,” he further said.
According to government data, till June 6, active COVID-19 cases now stand at 5,364. The death toll in the country now stands at 55 with four more deaths reported in the last 24 hours.