The National Privacy Commission (NPC) said on Monday, Aug. 19, that a recent incident involving a nursing student who shared a controversial video filmed within a hospital setting, including a clip of a patient’s cardiac monitor, may not be illegal per se but could be unethical.
The privacy body said that if the video did not include details that can identify a person, its disclosure may not fall under the scope of the Data Privacy Act.
However, the NPC said it acknowledged the potential risks to individuals’ rights and freedoms, especially for patients.
“We emphasize that sharing images or videos from these settings can raise serious ethical concerns and may undermine the trust between patients and healthcare providers,” it said.
Ethical considerations, the agency added, are critical in maintaining the integrity of healthcare practices and protecting the dignity of patients.
“With this, we urge all medical professionals and healthcare workers, including students in training, to exercise the utmost caution when taking pictures or videos within healthcare settings and refrain from posting these in publicly accessible platforms.”
It added: “We remind everyone that freedom of expression is not absolute and is limited by considerations such as the data privacy rights of others.”
