Alleged misuse of customer data by travel portals sparks social media uproar

The Delhi HC on Wednesday, 3 April 2024, rejected alleged concerns over how MakeMyTrip, Goibibo, and Skyscanner had been mishandling customer data over time.

Media reports said the PIL filed by BJP member and lawyer Ashwini Upadhyay specifically pointed to travel companies sharing personal information, including names, addresses, phone numbers, Aadhar, and passport details, without adequate protection measures in place.

Citing Section 3 of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDP Act), the petitioner argued that it is the responsibility of the central government to ensure that travel companies, especially those operating overseas, comply with stringent data protection regulations.

CNBC news said that Upadhyay had emphasised the need for clarity on measures these companies took to safeguard customer data and calls for notices to be issued mandating compliance with the DPDP Act 2023.

However, the PIL faced a setback as the Delhi High Court dismissed the petition, citing the absence of government representation. The court directed the applicant to address their concerns through the Government of India's Grievance Forum, adding to the frustration of users worried about potential data misuse.

The PIL and its subsequent rejection gained significant traction on social media platforms, particularly on X (formerly known as Twitter), where users initiated a campaign calling for the boycott of MakeMyTrip and Goibibo under the trending hashtag #boycottmakemytrip.

The uproar was accompanied by demands to uninstall the respective apps from smartphones and a flood of memes targeting the accused companies.

The rejection of the PIL has only intensified public scrutiny on leading travel companies like Goibibo and MakeMyTrip, as user’s expressed apprehensions over the security of their personal information.

Memes (believed to be backed by certain travel companies) circulating on social media platforms, including X, have pitched travel companies against one another on the basis of their funding partners, being open to accepting bookings to the Maldives and those who have banned bookings to the island nation, further amplifying the issue.

In January, Maldivian president Mohamed Muizzu had appealed to China to "intensify" efforts to send more tourists to his country after amid an alleged spate of reservation cancellations by Indian tourists after a diplomatic row erupted over certain derogatory remarks made by some Maldives ministers about Prime Minister Narendra Modi.