Best Practices for Recorded Meetings & Conversations

Review Deadline

Tuesday, April 8, 2025

DRAFT

Introduction

Recording meetings and conversations can be a valuable tool for ensuring accuracy, accountability, and transparency in professional settings. However, it is essential to follow best practices to respect privacy, comply with legal requirements, and maintain professionalism. By following these best practices, you can help ensure that recorded meetings and conversations are conducted professionally, securely, and respectfully.

To help ensure transparency and trust, it is best practice to always inform all participants that the meeting or conversation will be recorded and obtain their consent. This can be done verbally at the start of the meeting or through written communication beforehand. 

Legal and Ethical Considerations

In Iowa, the law regarding recorded conversations is based on the one-party consent rule. This means that you can record a conversation if you are a participant or if you have the consent of at least one person involved in the conversation. Here are some key points:

1. One-Party Consent: You can record a conversation as long as you are part of it or have permission from one of the participants.
2. Criminal Intent: The recording must not be made with any criminal intent.
3. Confidential Conversations: It is illegal to willfully intercept or record the contents of a confidential in-person conversation without the consent of at least one party.

Prior to recording, it is important to also fully consider intellectual property issues and contract stipulations (e.g., invited speakers who forbid recording, etc) which could prohibit recording. In addition, there may be sensitive information being discussed and these privacy considerations could override the ability to record. When in doubt, please consult with University Counsel and/or Information Technology.

Best Practices

Consent

If you intend to record, inform all participants that the meeting or conversation will be recorded and obtain their explicit consent before starting the recording. This is a matter of professional courtesy.

At the beginning of the meeting or presentation, you may ask if there are any individuals present who intend to record or livestream the meeting or if there are members of the media present. If you have been invited to give a presentation, it is reasonable to ask the meeting organizers in advance what the protocol is around media and recording issues.

If an individual asks to record a meeting as it is starting or after it's begun, you are within your rights to decline the request. It is recommended that the meeting chairperson consider the request and decide how best to proceed. 

IMPORTANT:  Do NOT record meeting content if personnel records, personally identifiable information, and/or other confidential and legally protected information is discussed. This may be waived in some controlled situations such as a meeting between an advisor and advisee if both agree to the recording in advance, only information pertaining to the advisee is discussed, and the recording is deleted when its purpose has been fulfilled.

Recording Objectives

Clearly state the purpose of the recording, and that it is optional, at the beginning of the meeting. This helps participants understand why the recording is being made and how it will be used. If all parties are not agreeable to the recording, it should not be made.

Preparation

Ensure that you use high-quality recording software and equipment to capture clear audio and video. Test the recording system before the meeting to avoid technical issues and to ensure audio and video quality are satisfactory. 

Please don’t hesitate to contact Information Technology if you have any questions about the software and equipment in use, operations, or if you require support services.

During the Meeting

Announce the Recording:  At the beginning of the meeting, remind participants that the session is being recorded and confirm their consent.

Clear Communication:  Encourage participants to speak clearly and identify themselves before speaking, especially in larger groups.

Focus on Key Areas:  Ensure that the recording captures all important discussions, presentations, and decisions. Adjust the camera and microphone as needed to focus on the speaker or relevant materials.

Post-Meeting Actions

Review and Edit:  After the meeting, review the recording to ensure it is complete and of good quality. Validate that confidential and/or legally protected information is not present on the recording or transcript. REMINDER:  Do NOT record meeting content if personnel records, personally identifiable information, and/or other confidential and legally protected information is discussed.

Label:  Properly label and organize recordings with relevant details such as date, time, participants, and meeting topic. This makes it easier to retrieve and reference recordings later. 

Store Securely:  Store recordings in a secure location with restricted access. When appropriate, use encryption to protect sensitive information and comply with data protection regulations. 

Share Responsibly:  Restrict access to recordings to only those who need it. Provide a summary or transcript if required. 

Retention, Compliance & Privacy

Ensure that you are compliant with legal and regulatory requirements. Be mindful of participants' privacy and avoid recording personal or sensitive information unless absolutely necessary. Always prioritize the privacy and confidentiality of all participants.

Recordings should be deleted within 30 days. Summaries may be retained until the purpose of the meeting has been fulfilled.

Be aware that recordings and summaries are potentially discoverable and may be provided as a result of an open records request.

Accommodation Requests

Some individuals need to record meetings as a disability accommodation. It is important to be respectful and responsive to such requests. These requests should be made in advance so that you can properly plan.  

Conclusion

Properly managed recordings can enhance communication, accountability, and productivity within the organization and should always promote an environment of trust. By following these best practices, you can effectively record meetings and conversations while respecting privacy and adhering to legal requirements. 

If you have additional questions that are not answered here, please communicate with your supervisor, UNI Legal Counsel, Information Technology and/or Human Resources representatives. 

Definitions

• Recording: A word-for-word audio copy, possibly including a written transcription of that content.
• Summary: A manual or AI-produced synopsis of the recorded meeting.