You are responsible for consent. TinyScribe is a tool, not a lawyer. Whether you need permission to record a conversation depends on where you and the other participants are: many US states and most of the EU (under GDPR) require that everyone on the call knows and agrees. TinyScribe doesn't announce itself, so nobody is informed unless you inform them. We recommend treating every call as if all-party consent were required — a one-sentence heads-up at the start ("I'm using a notetaker on my Mac, all data stays on my device — okay for everyone?") covers you almost everywhere and builds trust anyway. Nothing on this page is legal advice; for specific situations, consult a lawyer.
In the United States, recording laws are set at the state level and vary. Some states only require that one person on the call — which can be you — consent to the recording. Others require that everyone on the call consents. Twelve US states require everyone's consent.
Under the EU's General Data Protection Regulation, recording a conversation means processing personal data (voices count), which needs a lawful basis. Consent is usually the cleanest lawful basis available for a meeting recording, across much of the EU.
Because participants can be anywhere, and because laws change, the simplest and safest habit is to treat every call as if all-party consent were required — regardless of where you happen to be.
TinyScribe shows a red dot in the menu bar for as long as a recording runs. It's small on purpose, but it's there — a visible sign, for anyone who looks, that the Mac is listening.
The more reliable habit is to say it out loud: mention at the start of the call that you're taking notes. Do that, and the consent itself ends up in the transcript — a record of exactly what was said and when, not just that a red dot was on.
Nothing on this page is legal advice. For specific situations, consult a lawyer.