Among all the other regular tech news today’s TechCrunch newsletter had a roundup of recording devices: pins, pendants, wearables. Since this is an area I’m quite into, naturally I clicked. Decent overview of the hardware. But I was a bit surprised by what wasn’t there.

Not a word about privacy, nor about consent laws. No mention of how people change when there’s a listening device.

On the Show Floor

At National Retail Federation NYC last month I noticed some people wearing these on the show floor. I asked one, a tech reporter from Paris with a Plaud pin around his neck, whether people knew he was recording. He got defensive. Said he always tells people first.

Another reporter (also from the EU) standing next to us called the device creepy. Said if he needs to record, he puts a recorder on the table where everyone can see it.

The Legal Reality

In 11 US states, including California, Washington, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and yes, Florida, recording someone without their consent isn’t a gray area. It’s a crime. A felony. Federal wiretap violations carry up to 5 years in prison and hefty fines.

At a conference with attendees from every state, the strictest applicable law governs. Is the productivity hack worth a possible felony? Not that anyone’s going to report anyone, we’re all being recorded, right?

The Trust Problem

Beyond the legality of it, there’s a bigger question. When anyone could be recording at any time, people get guarded and stop being real. Doesn’t it break trust?

Most days when I enter an external Zoom call some recording bot (not mine) joins the meeting, no permissions asked. This simple ask should be baked into the flow, shouldn’t it? With some tools now you don’t even know you’re being recorded, they’ve skipped informing entirely.

Why We Build Voice Tech Differently

We build voice tech for a living. Alice for recording and transcription. Voicebox.ai for customer voice intelligence.

Privacy isn’t something we bolted on: it’s why these products exist. Every Alice recording requires conscious initiation. It even announces itself. Every Voicebox voice note is given voluntarily by a customer who chooses to speak. Consent is the foundation.

Closing Thought

Surely we can build useful tech without the dark patterns. Just a large REC light, maybe.

How do you feel when you realize you’re being recorded, and they didn’t bother to ask you?

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