Nothing shakes things up with a controversial new feature. CEO Carl Pei recently announced the addition of a recorder widget to Nothing OS, giving Nothing phone users the ability to discreetly record calls without notifying the other person.
Pei explains in his post on X (via Tom's Guide) that the decision directly responds to “numerous requests” from users looking for a tool to “protect against bad players”. Previously, Android users could only record calls with the built-in region-limited recording option in the Google Phone app or through some third-party apps. However, these third-party applications have been removed from the Play Store following Google's decision to restrict this functionality in 2022.
Having this as a feature on Nothing Phones is nice, but the fact remains that there are legal implications to consider.
Carl Pei's post is flooded with responses asking what everyone is already worrying about: Is this even legal? Although Pei himself didn't seem to answer them, some people decided to answer some of these questions themselves. For example, a user (
@aarontbarrat) added that in the United Kingdom, for example, it is legal to record phone calls provided the recording is for personal use. Another user (
@ApravJain) added that in India it is legal and even sometimes accepted in court.
Things get a little more complicated in the United States, where laws regarding call recording vary by state. Most states only require one party's consent to record a conversation, but eleven states (California, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Washington) require the consent of all those involved. Google Implementation of Call Recording Feature in Phone App
is restricted to devices and mobile carriers that allow it, and it informs call participants that the call is being recorded.
The addition of this feature is undoubtedly a bold move that positions Nothing phones as an attractive option for those who are concerned about security or need evidence in potentially problematic situations. It will be interesting to see how the company resolves any legal issues that may arise. This won't be the first time the company has found itself in a sticky situation due to features that weren't properly vetted.
