A Chinese woman has filed a lawsuit against a cosmetic surgery hospital after discovering a secret video of her breast implant surgery circulating online. The incident has ignited a debate over patient privacy and hospital responsibility.
The woman, identified only by her surname, Gao, underwent a breast enlargement procedure at a cosmetic surgery facility in central China in January. To her dismay, she later found a video featuring her post-surgery, heavily bandaged and still under anaesthesia, on Douyin, a popular Chinese social media platform.
Gao, who was shocked and distressed by the violation of her privacy, has demanded that the hospital identify the individual responsible for the filming and ensure the video is removed from all platforms. She has also sought a public apology and compensation from the hospital.
In response, the hospital claimed that the video was taken and shared by an “external” party. The facility asserted that all surveillance footage is destroyed after three months, making it impossible to identify the person who recorded the video. The hospital has committed to coordinating with social media platforms to remove the video if it reappears but has refused to issue an apology.
Gao countered that the video, which clearly shows the presence of hospital staff, could not have been filmed by an outsider. She maintains that the hospital should be able to identify the culprit, arguing that the operating theatre is a restricted area.
The hospital’s response has sparked widespread criticism online. Many commentators have expressed concerns that the facility is evading responsibility by blaming an unidentified “external” party. “If the person who did the filming has left the job, any organisation could use this excuse to avoid responsibility,” one commenter remarked. “Whenever something goes wrong, they say it was a temporary worker or someone who has left. They always shirk responsibility,” another added.
Ma Bin, a lawyer from Tianxin Law Firm in Henan, weighed in on the matter, stating that posting videos online showing patients’ faces without their consent constitutes a violation of privacy and image rights. Even if the video was created by an external party, the hospital remains liable, Ma asserted.
Gao’s lawsuit marks a significant development in the ongoing debate over patient privacy and institutional accountability in China. As the case unfolds, it highlights the need for stringent measures to protect patients’ rights and ensure that medical institutions are held accountable for breaches of privacy.
Sources By Agencies
