DocPing ("we", "us", "our") is a WhatsApp-based appointment booking service for clinics in India, operated by Aniket Pathak from Pune, Maharashtra. This Privacy Policy explains what personal data we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, and your rights under India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDP Act).
By messaging our WhatsApp bot or visiting any clinic page hosted by us, you consent to the practices described below. If you do not agree, please do not use the service.
1. Who is the data fiduciary
Aniket Pathak, operating as DocPing, is the data fiduciary under the DPDP Act for personal data collected through this service.
Contact for privacy matters: info@docping.in
WhatsApp: +91 70303 44210
Address: Pune, Maharashtra, India
2. What data we collect
We only collect the minimum information needed to book and manage clinic appointments:
| Category | Examples | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | Name, WhatsApp phone number, preferred language | You, when you message the bot |
| Appointment | Doctor selected, date, time slot, clinic visited | You, during the booking flow |
| Communication | Messages sent to/from the bot, reminders received | You + WhatsApp Business API |
We do not collect: medical history, diagnosis, prescriptions, payment details, biometric data, or location data.
3. Why we use your data (purpose of processing)
- To book, reschedule, or cancel clinic appointments you request
- To send you reminders about your upcoming appointment (one day and one hour before)
- To notify the clinic provider about your booking
- To respond to enquiries you send to the bot
- To improve the bot's accuracy in understanding your preferred language
We do not sell your data, do not use it for advertising, and do not share it with insurers, pharmaceutical companies, or marketing networks.
4. Lawful basis (DPDP Act)
- Consent — when you message the bot, you give consent to process your data for the purpose of booking your appointment.
- Legitimate use (Sec 7 DPDP Act) — sending appointment reminders is a legitimate use directly tied to the service you requested.
5. Third parties we share data with
We share the minimum necessary data with the following processors:
| Service | What they receive | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Meta WhatsApp Business API | Phone number, message content | To deliver your messages |
| Render (hosting) | Encrypted data at rest | To run the application |
| The clinic you book at | Your name, phone, appointment details | So the clinic can prepare for your visit |
We have data-processing agreements or equivalent contractual protections with each third-party processor.
6. Where your data is stored
Personal data is stored on servers operated by Render, with database replication in their managed PostgreSQL service. Render's data centers are located in the United States and Europe. We rely on standard contractual clauses for cross-border transfer as permitted under the DPDP Act and the Indian Information Technology Act.
7. How long we keep your data
| Data | Retention |
|---|---|
| Active appointment records | Until completed + 12 months for support |
| WhatsApp conversation history | 90 days, then auto-deleted |
| Patient profile (name, phone) | Deleted within 30 days of your written request |
| Clinic prospect data (public) | Until the clinic asks to be removed |
8. Your rights under the DPDP Act
You have the right to:
- Access a copy of all personal data we hold about you
- Correct inaccurate or outdated data
- Erase ("be forgotten") your data — see our data deletion page
- Withdraw consent at any time (you can stop messaging the bot or block its number on WhatsApp)
- Grievance redressal — file a complaint with the Data Protection Board of India if we don't respond within 30 days
To exercise any of these rights, email info@docping.in with the subject line "DPDP Request — <your name>". We will respond within 30 days as required by law.
9. Children
Our service is not directed at children under 18. If a parent or guardian books an appointment for a minor, only the booking details (date, doctor, time) are stored — no health data. If you believe we hold data about a minor without parental consent, contact us and we will delete it immediately.
10. Security
We use TLS 1.2+ for all connections, encrypt data at rest in our database, scope database access to authorised personnel only, and use rotating API keys for third-party integrations. No system is perfectly secure; in the event of a breach we will notify affected users and the Data Protection Board within 72 hours.
11. Cookies and tracking
Our public website uses a session cookie for the admin login only. The marketing landing pages and the WhatsApp bot do not use any tracking cookies, analytics, or third-party advertising pixels.
12. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The "last updated" date at the top reflects the most recent revision. Material changes will be communicated to active users via WhatsApp.
13. Contact
If you have questions about this policy, our practices, or want to file a
privacy complaint:
Email: info@docping.in
WhatsApp: +91 70303 44210
Postal: Aniket Pathak, Pune, Maharashtra, India