AI recording products can make meetings easier to remember, but recording people is also a trust decision. Laws vary by jurisdiction and by context; company policies, professional duties and client agreements may impose requirements beyond local law. This checklist is general information, not legal advice.
Bottom line: consent is part of the workflow
Before you record, tell participants what is being recorded, why it is needed, who can access the output and how it will be stored or shared. If you cannot explain those points clearly, pause and check the applicable rule or policy first.
A buyer's privacy checklist
- Visible recording state: can participants tell when recording is active? Is the recording indicator clear?
- Consent flow: can you pause to notify everyone and capture agreement where required?
- Retention: how long do audio, transcript, summaries and backups remain available?
- Deletion: can you delete the original audio and derived notes? Are deletion periods clearly documented?
- Access and sharing: are recordings private by default? Can links be revoked? What gets synced across devices?
- Training and processors: does the vendor explain whether content is used to improve models and which subprocessors may handle it?
- Workplace rules: does your employer, client contract, industry regulation or data-protection policy restrict recording?
- Cross-border use: consider where the data is stored and which privacy laws or contractual terms apply to the people involved.
Questions to ask any vendor
- What exactly is uploaded: raw audio, transcript, summary, or all three?
- What is the default retention period, and can an administrator enforce deletion?
- Can I export my files in a usable format if I stop paying?
- Is there an organization plan with access controls, audit logs or an agreement for business data?
- What signal tells others that recording is active?
Practical habit: state the purpose, ask for permission, start the recording only when appropriate, and share notes only with the people who need them.
Sources and limits
- Plaud product page — includes an explicit reminder to inform others and follow local law
- Granola plans — published controls include configurable retention and deletion features
- Fireflies plans — published plan and security feature comparison
This page is a buyer checklist only. It does not determine whether a specific recording is lawful. Verify the rules for your location, participants and use case.