Legality of translating a call, by jurisdiction
Draft — not legal advice; final text pending review.
Subtl does not record audio in its normal mode; it transcribes speech as it happens and keeps the text. Several legal systems treat that differently from recording, and several do not. The table below is our working understanding, written so that you can ask the right question, not so that you can skip asking it.
The rule we apply to ourselves: if you are not sure, tell the other person. It costs one sentence.
| Jurisdiction | Rule on recording or interception | What it means when you use Subtl |
|---|---|---|
| United States — one-party states (most) | Consent of one party to the conversation | Your own consent is enough. Local employment or platform rules may still apply. |
| United States — all-party states (CA, FL, WA, IL, PA, MD, MA, MT, NH, CT and others) | Consent of every party | Tell the other participants before you start. |
| European Union and the United Kingdom | GDPR applies to the other person's speech; in many member states recording without notice is an offence | Notify. For business calls, a legitimate-interest basis plus notice is the usual route. |
| Russia | Article 138 of the Criminal Code protects the secrecy of communications; recording a conversation you are part of is generally permitted | Personal use is normally fine; distributing the content is where the risk is. |
| Kazakhstan | Similar in shape to Russia | Notify in a business context. |
| India | One-party consent in practice, with the IT Act on top | Acceptable when you are a participant in the call. |
| Mexico | Recording a conversation you take part in is permitted | Acceptable as a participant. |
| Saudi Arabia and the UAE | Strict privacy rules; recording without consent carries real penalties | Notify, and do not rely on the distinction between transcription and recording. |
Two things this page cannot do
- It cannot tell you what a court in your country would decide about live transcription specifically, because in most of these jurisdictions that question has not been settled.
- It cannot override rules that bind you for other reasons: an employer's policy, an exam board, a platform's terms, a professional code. Our own terms forbid using Subtl where the other side's rules prohibit assistance.
In the product itself we say it in one line: in some countries the other person's consent is required, and following the rules where you are is your responsibility.