Do I need consent to record?

Usually, yes — at minimum you should tell people you're recording, and in many places the law requires that everyone (or at least one participant) agrees. Canto can't answer this for your specific situation: this page is general information, not legal advice.

Why is there no single answer?

Recording laws are set country by country — and in the United States, state by state. Some places allow recording as long as one participant (you) consents; others require every participant's consent; workplace and phone-call recordings often have extra rules. The same meeting can span several jurisdictions at once when participants dial in from different places.

Canto's in-product guidance says it plainly: "Recording laws vary — make sure participants are okay with the notetaker before sending it. The bot is clearly labelled and only records after the organiser lets it in."

For an orientation by country and US state, see our overview of meeting recording laws — again as general information, not legal advice. When in doubt, ask a lawyer, or follow the strictest rule in play: tell everyone and get their agreement.

What does Canto do to keep recording visible?

Canto is built so that notetaker recording is hard to miss:

• The bot joins as a visible, named participant — it never records covertly.
• It only records after the meeting organiser lets it in; on Google Meet the host must explicitly approve it, and on Microsoft Teams and Zoom it's admitted from the lobby or waiting room.

The details per platform are in How are meeting participants notified?

A visible bot is not the same as consent, though. Someone can miss the participant list, join late, or not understand what the bot is. Notification features support your consent process — they don't replace it.

What stays my responsibility?

You decide to record, so the legal basis is yours to get right. Canto's Privacy Policy and Terms put it directly: you are responsible for telling participants they are being recorded and for having whatever consent the law where you are requires.

A simple habit covers most situations:

1. Say it in the invite — a line like "I'll have a notetaker in this call so I can stay present; shout if that's a problem" sets expectations before anyone joins.
2. Say it at the start — when the bot joins, mention it out loud and give people a chance to object.
3. Respect objections — don't send the bot, or have the organiser remove it from the call; meeting hosts can remove it like any other participant.

The same thinking applies to in-person recording with your phone: the app shows a recording screen on your device, but the other people at the table can't see your phone — tell them.

What about recordings I share afterwards?

Consent to be recorded isn't automatically consent to be shared. Before you put a recording in a shared Space or turn on a public link, consider whether participants would expect that audience. See Who can see and edit what? for exactly who gains access when you share.