Skip to main content

Recording Consents Notifications

How to notify participants and collect recording consent in a clear, compliant way

Dan Huru avatar
Written by Dan Huru
Updated over a week ago

When MeetGeek joins a call, participants are clearly informed that the meeting is being recorded. This removes the need for manual permission requests and helps you stay transparent and compliant with applicable regulations.

Note: Even with automated notifications, it’s good practice to verbally remind participants that the meeting is being recorded. MeetGeek does not support incognito recording or surveillance. Meeting participants always retain control over whether meeting content is shared.

Tip: You can use our disclaimer templates to clearly introduce MeetGeek to other meeting attendees.

How Recording Notifications Work

Before recording starts, the meeting host must admit MeetGeek into the call. Even if MeetGeek is scheduled to join a meeting you don’t host, it’s recommended to inform the host in advance.

Once admitted:

  • MeetGeek posts a chat notification informing participants that the meeting is being recorded

  • This message remains visible in the chat history

  • MeetGeek appears as a participant in the call, making the recording status clearly visible

  • As long as MeetGeek is present, recording is active

Pre-Meeting Notifications & Consent

MeetGeek can notify participants before a meeting that a recording will take place. You can also require participants to explicitly consent before recording begins.

To configure this, go to Settings → Recording Notifications & Consent.

You can choose who receives notifications:

  • Myself

  • Internal participants (same email domain as your account, e.g., @yourcompany.com)

  • External participants (different email domains)

You can select multiple groups.

Use the Send an email option to choose when notifications are sent, anywhere from 1 day to 10 minutes before the meeting.

Requesting Participant Consent

When "Request participant consent" is enabled, the standard “this meeting will be recorded” email is replaced with a consent request email. Recording only proceeds after participants explicitly approve.

After clicking the consent link, participants will see a consent page with one of the following states:

  • Processing – waiting for backend confirmation (usually brief)

  • Accepted – consent approved

  • Declined – consent rejected

  • Expired – the meeting has already started or a response was already submitted

You'll receive an email notification whenever a participant accepts or declines.

Note: Email branding is fully supported for consent request and response emails.

Best practice: For meetings with external participants or sensitive topics, enable consent and send the email at least 1 hour in advance to give attendees time to review and respond.

Legal Considerations by Region

Below is general guidance for common jurisdictions. This is not legal advice.

United States (US)

U.S. states fall into two categories:

  1. One-party consent states – consent from at least one participant is required

  2. All-party (two-party) consent states – consent from all participants is required

Most U.S. states follow one-party consent rules. However, all-party consent is currently required in: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Washington.

If a participant does not consent after being notified, they must leave the call for the recording to proceed.

United Kingdom (UK)

Recording calls is regulated by multiple laws. Unless you can ensure the recording will not be shared with third parties and is used strictly for evidence, compliance, or crime prevention, the U.K. should generally be treated as an all-parties consent jurisdiction.

Europe (EU) GDPR

Under GDPR and related European regulations, recording typically requires explicit consent from all participants. This must be a clear opt-in with a meaningful way to opt out.

You must also have a valid legal basis for recording and processing the data. Rules can vary by country, so always check local regulations.

Ireland

Ireland joins the UK and 13 US states in an all-parties consent approach. The purpose of the recording must be clearly explained so participants can give informed consent.

Germany

Germany requires two-party consent. Recording a call without all participants’ consent may constitute a criminal offense.

Canada

Canada follows an all-parties consent model under its electronic privacy law (PIPEDA). Participants must be informed:

  1. That the call is being recorded

  2. Why is it being recorded

  3. That recording requires everyone’s consent

Other Jurisdictions

This list is not exhaustive. If you’re unsure, the safest approach, as well as our recommendation, is to always obtain explicit consent before recording.


Explore our Support Center for further guides, frequently asked questions, and tips. Or use the in-app live chat to reach out to our support team 💬

Did this answer your question?