Recording & Consent

Finche helps you capture conversations so you can stay present and remember what matters. When a recording includes other people, getting their consent is important — both as a courtesy and, in many places, as a legal requirement. This page explains how to do that and sets out your responsibilities when you record.

Always ask for consent

We strongly recommend that you always ask for and obtain consent before recording or transcribing anyone else— whether or not the law where you are requires it. A simple “Do you mind if I record this so I can take notes?” is usually enough, in person, on a call, or noted in the meeting invite. If anyone isn’t comfortable, don’t record.

You are responsible for obtaining consent

Recording and consent laws differ depending on where you and the other participants are located. You are solely responsible for knowing and complying with the laws that apply to you, and for obtaining any consent required, before you record using Finche. Finche does not determine whether consent is required for your situation and does not obtain consent from participants on your behalf.

In Australia

Finche is operated by Hi Finche Pty Ltd, based in Australia. In Australia, the recording of private conversations is regulated by surveillance-device and listening-device laws that differ from state to state and territory to territory. In some places it is an offence to record a private conversation without the consent of everyone taking part; in others, a person who is part of the conversation may be permitted to record it. Separate rules can also apply to using, communicating or publishing a recording, even where making it was permitted. Because these rules are nuanced and can change, the safest and kindest approach is always the same: get the consent of everyone involved. Check the surveillance- or listening-devices legislation in your state or territory, or seek your own legal advice, if you are unsure.

Outside Australia

Other countries — and individual states within them — have their own rules, with some requiring the consent of only one party and others the consent of everyone. For general background on recording laws in the United States, some people find this third-party overview useful: recording laws by U.S. state (Justia). This is a third-party resource provided for convenience only — Finche is not responsible for its accuracy or completeness, it is not legal advice, and it does not cover every jurisdiction.

Letting people know

The simplest way to stay on the right side of this is to be open about it:

Tell people you’re recording before you start — every time someone else is involved.
Add a note to the meeting invite or mention it up front so there are no surprises.
If someone asks you to stop, or to delete a recording, do it.
Only record conversations you’re genuinely a part of.

Notices in Zoom and Microsoft Teams

If you record meetings held in Zoom or Microsoft Teams, those platforms offer their own settings for notifying participants — which you can use alongside Finche to give clearer, standardised notice.

In Zoom, account owners and admins on eligible plans can customise the recording consent disclaimer shown when recording starts or when someone joins a session already being recorded. Learn more.
In Microsoft Teams, IT admins can customise the in-meeting recording and transcription notification message and the privacy-policy URL shown to participants. Learn more.

These settings are administered by you or your organisation in Zoom or Teams. Finche does not configure them on your behalf, and you remain responsible for determining what notice or consent is required for your use and jurisdiction.

What Finche captures and stores

When you record, Finche captures the audio and creates a transcript and a private summary for you. Your recordings, transcripts and notes are stored securely against your account, are kept private, and are never shared with anyone unless you choose to share them. You can delete a recording and its associated data at any time from within the app. For full detail on how we handle your data, see our Privacy Policy.

Important

This page is general guidance only and is not legal advice. Your use of Finche is governed by our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. By using Finche to record, you confirm that you will obtain any consent and provide any notice required by the laws that apply to you. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Finche is not liable for recordings you make or for any failure by you to obtain required consent.

Questions? Email support@finche.app.