Post-Interview Contact Influence on Rank List

Just trying to get a sense of whether the match process is actually fair:

I know programs like HSS send out an email letting you know where you are on the rank list. Has anyone who has gotten this email and were ranked to match actually not put HSS one? Has anyone who got the rank to match email put them number 1 when the didn't have it as that before? (Doesn't have to be HSS, just using it as an example)

Would love to hear from some people on whether they think this is ethically against what the match stands for even though volunteering this information is not a technical violation of the match.

I'd love to hear of any programs that sent those emails/calls out this year. I haven't heard of almost any so far, and I only had contact with a couple residents after interviews. I think the push was definitely to decrease post-interview contact this year, but I'd love to hear if people were getting some.

Received contact from 4 programs. Told specifically that I was ranked to match at 3. Those that contacted me stated they "did not want to influence me, etc etc, but this is where you are."

Did not influence my rank list.

Was told I was "ranked to match" at 3 programs. Contact was from 1 chair, 1 program director, 1 senior resident.

Experienced favorable communication with residents at 3 other programs: "would be a great fit", "hope you are ranking us highly", etc.

Definitely influenced my rank list. If a chair or PD takes the time out of their busy day to recruit me and express excitement about the possibility of me matching, that's a place I will be considering more strongly. With studies suggesting that as much as 35-40% of applicants change their rank list in response to post-interview contact, I'm surprised that all programs don't reach out.