-
After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.
Google telling me what to do again (call recording)
- Thread starter Sunny Rio
- Start date
Yeah, Google, as well as the Federal Communications Commission(FCC) probably.
You could try an app like Total Recorder, that's often recommended on this board, or import a phone from a "communist" country(China), as many of them have automatic call recording as built-in as standard.
Last edited:
What's the FCC to do with it? I can always place a taperecorder next to the phone! Do I get jailed for that? ROFL!
I assume the China phones send the recording to the government though.
It's weird that Google allows these recording programs onto Google Play then blocks them. Why does it let them in?
Do you mean "Total Call Recorder" by Dimusoft?
I assume the China phones send the recording to the government though.
It's weird that Google allows these recording programs onto Google Play then blocks them. Why does it let them in?
Do you mean "Total Call Recorder" by Dimusoft?
I believe it's all to do with telecoms approvals, what phones can and can't do. IANAL if you use call recording for nefarious purposes, that might get you jail time.
Back in the day Radio Shack sold a magnetic pickup, that stuck on a phone's earpiece and plugged into a cassette recorder.
Could be. And I bet Google sends everything to the feds as well.
Yeah, that's the one often recommended on AF.
Call recording isn't illegal in every country, and are probably only blocked where it's illegal.
If you phone me and say things, what's your problem if I use that information? If you didn't trust me with it you shouldn't have spoken it. All companies record calls "for training purposes" anyway, so why shouldn't I?
Yeah Radio Shack sold some dodgy stuff like scanners for police radio. They were called Tandy in the UK for some reason.
Yes Google is a well known grasser.
If it's only blocked where it's illegal, why is my phone stopping me recording? It knows what country I'm in. The two I tried only recorded me, not the caller.
Yeah Radio Shack sold some dodgy stuff like scanners for police radio. They were called Tandy in the UK for some reason.
Yes Google is a well known grasser.
If it's only blocked where it's illegal, why is my phone stopping me recording? It knows what country I'm in. The two I tried only recorded me, not the caller.
I think it was because there was already another electronics retailer in the UK called Radio Shack. Tandy Corp was actually Radio Shack's parent company....
Radio Shack
You've got questions, We don't have a clue.™
Is call recording restricted in the UK?
Last edited:
Consent is usually the key here: if you don't consent to the recording you can hang up. Of course that may leave you with no way of resolving your problem, but that's the way "consent" usually works when dealing with big businesses.
My understanding of UK law is that it's legal for you to record a call, but you have to be careful about what you do with the recording.
I think it's probably not to do with particular jurisdictions, since it seems to be a widespread feature with android call recorders. There are some reports that the ability to record both sides (without using workarounds like putting it on speaker and hoping the mic picks up the other side of the call) depends on OS version, or on whether you are rooted as well as what app you use. But I think in general the OS only allows recording of the mic input.
Of course this could simply be a case of Google playing safe: since the laws vary so much (state-by-state in the US) a simple way of ensuring they can't be held liable would be if their OS does not to support it. And of course that is cheaper to code and maintain than a database of jurisdictions and their changing rules. Though if that is the reason then this not a communist restriction but a capitalist one (the corporation putting its commercial interests first)
.We have a Radio Spares, but I don't know of any Radio Shack.
They were very knowledgeable in Dundee, Scotland. I still have a multimeter I bought for £100 in 1995 from them. It has everything including capacitance. Never gone wrong once.
I don't think so, since all companies do it. Probably some stupid rule about them having to tell you first, which is damn annoying having to wait for the message telling you so.
[checking....] It's legal as long as you don't share the data: https://www.ereceptionist.co.uk/blog/legal-to-record-phone-calls-uk So there's no reason for my phone to stop me doing so.
It's a ridiculous law, just like the "agree to T&Cs" when you install software etc. You're not actually being given a real choice. I tried to get a refund from a company recently and they pointed out what I'd agreed to. They didn't like it when I said "I never agreed to it, I clicked the button so I could buy the product".
It doesn't pick it up, and I use speaker on full volume. I assume to stop acoustic feedback the mic cancels out what came through the speaker, so it can't record it that way.
Why would Google be held liable if *I chose* to install a piece of software which broke the law? I can install software on my PC to download pirate films, but Microsoft can't be held liable for not preventing it.
its all about consent laws as @Hadron stated. and it varies around the world, but most places have consent laws when it comes down to phone recordings. it also will vary from state to state here in the US on phone calls.
some states have 1-party consent laws, while others have two-party or all party consent laws.
https://www.telemessage.com/state-a... comes to phone,without a warning are illegal.
here is the reason why google is not allowing call recordings any more:
https://www.androidauthority.com/google-killing-call-recording-apps-3155610/
I know RS Components, formerly Radio Spares. I did read that the original Radio Shack was an electronics retailer on Tottenham Court Road in London, who must have registered it as a trademark, before Tandy Corp/Radio Shack came to the UK in the early 70s. No more Radio Shack or Tandy these days though. They pulled out of the UK, and the US company went bankrupt(twice). Tottenham Court Road used to be mostly electronics stores, The last time I was there two years ago, the only place that had any electronics stuff was Argos.
I bought a Realistic CB rig from Tandy in Bristol in early 80s. It was a good radio. Plus I had a few of their Science Fair kits when I was a kid.
Last edited:
Milo Williamson
Extreme Android User
My google activity, shut them off via killswitch from everything and put everything on pause that way no one can ever peer on what you are doing, disable all google products.
Yes, there is a power imbalance when dealing with a big company, and software licenses are another example. Though it has been noticed that if you mount a legal challenge to the terms of those licenses they'll generally settle before it goes to court: paying you off is much cheaper for them than having a court rule that the license is invalid because there is no reasonable way someone can actually consent to it (which has happened a few times).
It would be an interesting experiment to challenge the "call recording consent" with a company. But I suspect it would be a lot of work (unless you got a national media company involved, as many companies become much more responsive when there's the threat of enough bad publicity to cost them money).
Do you reckon that such an argument would prevent any lawsuit being filed? There's no money to be had from mounting a suit against some 2 bit developer, but Google provided the APIs that made it possible and allowed the app in their store, so why not include them in the suit? Tell me you can't imagine some lawyer making that pitch. And why would Google want to go to the expense of fighting it, never mind the potential costs if a jury found against them (remember that the US legal system is the most likely place for this to play out)? Let's face it, the fraction of people who won't buy an Android phone if they kill call recording is negligible, and Google will still make money from most of them in other ways, so there's no commercial sense in Google taking even the slightest risk on their behalf.
Anyway you'd have to ask them if you really want to know their thinking - just don't hold your breath waiting for an answer.
"call recording laws are so varied across different countries" - which just goes to show the law is wrong. Also the vote on that page shows 74% disagree.
That's the one. Very expensive but has everything.
Same here. All of them in fact. Or was it Salter ones, probably both.
What do you mean by "no reasonable way someone can actually consent to it"?
I assume if when you first get a human you say "please do not record this call" then they can switch it off.
And yet Microsoft does.
This is the company that closed my account for software piracy, after having warned me my account had been hacked, then asked me to provide them with evidence I had been hacked, apparently their own notification wasn't good enough. Oh well, I just made another account. Idiots.
The only Salter I had was their Microscope Lab 1, a Christmas present in 1973.
I had a chemistry set with all sorts of poisonous stuff in it. I could have killed a load of people
I had a chemistry set with all sorts of poisonous stuff in it. I could have killed a load of people
Was it the Merit one? Like the one I had.
When cuff-links were more important than eye protection.
Of course in 2022, we can't have our kids making up their own potassium nitrate or nitroglycerin.
Last edited:
More like this, but I don't remember a number. https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/thomas-salter-chemistry-set-parts-1783154349
Cuff-links? Aren't they for punching someone more effectively?
Look up free-range kids.
Cuff-links? Aren't they for punching someone more effectively?
Look up free-range kids.
It's got some potassium and sodium ingredients, I'm sure those could make a few nice exothermic or toxic reactions. Of course back in the day, one could easily expand a Merit or Salter chemistry set.
Not really, unless you're looking to punch someone with your wrist. Brass knuckles can be more effective.
Last edited:
Yes I bought all sorts for the chemistry set. I liked making sculptures out of glass tubing. Never got as clever as my uncle though, he made little animals.
It was the electronics I did some more dangerous stuff with. I got a load of kits through the post and built circuits without any coverings. My friend managed to electrocute me with my strobe light for example. I shot a power transistor across the room narrowly missing someone's eye when I tried to solder a live circuit (well I didn't know soldering irons were earthed!) And of course the deliberate overloading of large capacitors.
I didn't know what a cuff link was (I'm not snobby enough to wear those) so I looked it up, I thought it was something that went on your finger like a ring. Knuckle duster is what I'm thinking of. I guess the word "cuff" should have given me a clue.
It was the electronics I did some more dangerous stuff with. I got a load of kits through the post and built circuits without any coverings. My friend managed to electrocute me with my strobe light for example. I shot a power transistor across the room narrowly missing someone's eye when I tried to solder a live circuit (well I didn't know soldering irons were earthed!) And of course the deliberate overloading of large capacitors.
I didn't know what a cuff link was (I'm not snobby enough to wear those) so I looked it up, I thought it was something that went on your finger like a ring. Knuckle duster is what I'm thinking of. I guess the word "cuff" should have given me a clue.
Well Total Call Recorder doesn't work either. Stupid Google. I'm in the UK and there is no law against me recording calls, why are they doing this?
"As an individual you are able to record phone calls. There are currently no UK laws prohibiting actually recording the call – just what you do with the information when you have captured it. The only time call recording becomes illegal is if you hand over the information to a third party without the customer who has been recorded’s consent. You also need to be mindful of how secure the connection is if there is going to be sensitive information discussed."
https://www.numbersupermarket.co.uk/call-recording-laws-uk/
"As an individual you are able to record phone calls. There are currently no UK laws prohibiting actually recording the call – just what you do with the information when you have captured it. The only time call recording becomes illegal is if you hand over the information to a third party without the customer who has been recorded’s consent. You also need to be mindful of how secure the connection is if there is going to be sensitive information discussed."
https://www.numbersupermarket.co.uk/call-recording-laws-uk/