Recording consent

The short version

If you remember one thing: tell people you’re recording, and record only if they’re okay with it. It takes one sentence, it’s the right thing to do, and in many places it’s the law. When you’re unsure, ask first.

Why this is on you, not on Boswell

Boswell captures audio locally from your Mac. It does not join the meeting, appear in the participant list, or post a “recording started” banner — no bot joins your call. That invisibility is a privacy feature, but it has a direct consequence:

Because no bot announces the recording, you are the notice. Other tools that join the call as a participant create a visible recording indicator. Boswell deliberately does not, so the responsibility to disclose — and to obtain consent where it’s required — rests with you.

Recording someone without their knowledge can violate wiretapping, eavesdropping, or privacy laws depending on where you and the other participants are. And even where it’s legal, recording without telling people erodes trust quickly.

Recording laws generally fall into two categories:

One-party consent — only one person in the conversation (you) needs to agree to the recording. Many US states and a number of countries follow this rule.
All-party consent (sometimes called two-party consent) — every participant must agree before recording begins. Several US states — including California, Florida, and Illinois — and various other countries require this.

Two complications worth knowing:

Mixed jurisdictions. When participants are in different places, the safe approach is to follow the strictest rule that applies. A call that includes someone in an all-party state generally means you should get everyone’s agreement.
Outside the US. Many countries require all-party consent. In the EU and UK, a recording that captures identifiable people is personal data under the GDPR — you generally need a lawful basis and must inform people you’re recording. Workplace and customer-call recording is often regulated separately.

You rarely need more than a sentence. Pick what fits the setting:

At the start of a call (verbal):

“Quick heads-up — I’m recording this on my Mac to take notes. Is that okay with everyone?”

Then wait for agreement before you start. If anyone objects, don’t record.

In the calendar invite or agenda (written, ahead of time):

“Note: this meeting will be recorded for note-taking. Let me know beforehand if you’d prefer we don’t.”

For a 1:1 or a sensitive conversation (ask explicitly):

“Before we get into it — do you mind if I record this so I can focus on the conversation instead of typing?”

For a recurring meeting (set the norm once):

State it in the first session and note it in the recurring invite, so it’s understood going forward rather than re-asked every time.

Standing notices through your meeting platform

Zoom and Microsoft Teams can show a recording or privacy notice to participants, and an admin can customize the wording for everyone on the account. If your organization already does this, it helps set the expectation that meetings may be recorded:

Zoom — admins can turn on and customize the recording disclaimer at the account or group level (Account Settings → Recording → “Recording disclaimer”).
Microsoft Teams — IT admins can customize the recording and transcription notification message and link to a privacy policy.

These notices are configured by you or your admin, not by Boswell — Boswell doesn’t set, trigger, or manage them.

Sensitive situations

Some conversations deserve extra care, and some are governed by rules beyond general recording law:

HR, legal, medical, or financial discussions — often subject to additional confidentiality or sector-specific rules. When in doubt, don’t record, or get explicit written agreement first.
Customer and sales calls — may be covered by company policy, contracts, or consumer-protection rules requiring disclosure.
Conversations involving minors — typically require a parent or guardian’s consent.
Your employer’s policies — many organizations have their own recording rules that apply regardless of local law. Check them; they may be stricter than the law.

What Boswell does — and doesn’t — do

Your recordings, transcripts, and notes stay on your Mac, in storage you control. See What stays on-device.
Boswell will not notify participants for you, and it won’t show them a recording indicator — by design, because it doesn’t join the call. Disclosure is a manual step you take.
Deleting a recording is just deleting the files. If someone withdraws consent or asks you not to keep a recording, you can remove it yourself.

Where to learn more

Recording-consent law changes and varies widely. A few starting points (these are external resources, not endorsements, and not a substitute for legal advice):

Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press — Reporter’s Recording Guide — a US state-by-state breakdown. Written for journalists, but useful to anyone.
Justia — Recording Phone Calls and Conversations — a 50-state summary of one-party vs all-party rules.
For the EU/UK and other regions, your national or regional data protection authority publishes guidance on recording in workplace and commercial contexts (for example, the EU’s GDPR rules treat recordings of identifiable people as personal data).

When the stakes are high, the safest move is the simplest one: ask first, and record only with agreement.