Privacy: Personal Recordings.
Digital recorders. Why and How

So you have a DashCam in your car, you need a Digital Recorder in your pocket

You may have concerns about being misrepresented

There may be people who have intent on harming you

It may be impossible to take written notes at the time.

In the quest for power, you may be dispensable

There may be fellow ringers with bipolar mental issues

In my experience, accurate reporting is ensured by having true facts available

Digital recorders are readily available on ebay from £10 upwards

Several things to look out for

• Memory, these days 8Gb minimum
• Battery life, the smaller the unit the shorter the battery life
• Keylock, essential so that it does not inadvertently switch off.
• External microphone, helpful to use a tieclip microphone in some situations

Smartphones.

• Some phones have a facility to automatically record phone calls. SWITCH IT ON
• Most smartphones have a build in digital recorder, however my experience is that it is very easy for the recording to be interrupted. DO NOT RELY ON THIS. Use a dedicated recorder.
• However, if you are asked to stop recording, you can always switch off your smartphone.

A shirt breast pocket or jeans fob pocket.

External microphone worn clipped inside a trousers belt.

The higher quality of recording the better.

The device will need to be activated in privacy.

Notes here are valid in England in 2019

Recording must be for personal use.

Consent from all participants is required before any other use is allowed.

Which gives us a dilemma, how can a participant give consent about something they do not know about?

I see the way out of this dilemma is to ask the participants that if any private recordings exist, would they like to know? Then if positive, would they like to discuss the content?

If someone asks you to delete any recording, you are under no obligation to do so.

Evidence is only useful if presented.

No opportunity to present the true evidence means that the collection of accurate evidence is pointless.

The quality can be poor, and not as distinct as would be heard by the human ear at the time.

• Sample 1
• Sample 2
• Sample 3

There is no standard qualifications system
People have tried to introduce "Standards" but as there is no enforcement possible,
many towers do not even bother to be interested in "Standards"