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Clandestine recordings

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Guest Anonymous

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Guest Anonymous

I am interesting in clandestine recording techniques. Which is the best ways to hide mic to obtain normal quality of recorded conversations? I am going to record conversations in rather noisy office environment. Some collegues treat me terrible sad.gif

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How to make stealth recordings

1: get a cheap-ass PC microphone

2: (get someone to) dissect the microphone, all you want is the little 'knob'

3: hide knob under your clothes, it's so small you don't or hardly see it. A normal sweater shouldn't muffle the sound too much.

4: fun guaranteed smile.gif

We used to 'terrorize' PC shops and listen to all the mayhem afterwards :twisted:

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Terrorize PC shops? Sounds like story time, please tell!

Linda, sorry to hear you have a problem with your coworkers, I hope you can get whatever problems you have taken care of. Although Aidix's method is likely better, an easier method is to plug headphones into the mic jack and let them hang inconspicuously around your neck. Give that a shot, but practice recording before you actually try to make serious recordings. Mess around with recording levels and positioning the headphones and stuff. I hope you get your bastard coworkers back for whatever crap they've been giving you.

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Guest Anonymous

Linda, I understand the desire to record the conversations of persons speaking ill against you. But to what end? Under most circumstances, it is not legal to record someone without their permission. Moreover, if you confront the person with the "evidence" they would have a strong case against you for invasion of privacy. Lastly, no such recording would ever stand as evidence in court.

You can, however, use a low tech method to help thwart those that would harbor ill-will against you. Simply inform them that, from here on out, you'll be randomly taping the sounds that occur within your area. You don't really need to do it, but just sharing the knowledge that you might should be enough to shut these creeps up.

BTW: The real way to better your experience in the workplace is to report all inappropriate behavior to your HR represenative. Once the employer is informed that you're feeling harrassed, they have an affirmative duty to ensure that the company does not stand as liable. That usually means making an example of the offender.

Rod

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Guest Anonymous

If, by labeling me a party pooper, you object to any poster that does his/her best to relate factual and germain information to the questions posted, I would suggest these forums would be better served absent your subject-ignoring diatribe.

I you care to comment on the content of my post in such a way as to add to the thread of clandestine recordings, then bring it on. And, make no mistake: I'm not involved in this thread from some kind of need to police MD use. I have many recordings of concerts where, had I been caught, would have faced ejection or equipment confiscation.

So, let's see if you can stay on topic and stop wasting bandwidth.

Rod

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Guest Anonymous

California's Invasion of Privacy Act prohibits the recording of "confidential communications" unless all parties to the conversation consent. The California lower courts have reached different conclusions about what constitutes a "confidential communication." Some have endorsed the view that "a conversation is confidential only if the party has an objectively reasonable expectation that the content will not later be divulged to third parties." Under this reading of the statute, a news source who knows he or she is talking to a reporter generally expects that the contents of the conversation will be disclosed -- unless there is a promise of confidentiality, of course. Thus a reporter would have been able to record such a conversation without first obtaining the source's consent.

The California Supreme Court rejected this definition, however, holding that a conversation is confidential if a party to that conversation "has an objectively reasonable expectation that the conversation is not being overheard or recorded," regardless of whether a reasonable person would expect the contents of that conversation to be divulged to others.

It is reasonable for a person, while in the course of demeaning a co-worker, to expect that the conversation is not being recorded or overheard. (Who would allow his derogatory comments to be overheard only to have a witness?) It is also reasonable to expect the injured party to divulge the contents of such a conversation to others (i.e. HR department) This is the classic definition by which the CA Supreme Court has held undisclosed recordings to be illegal.

Seeing that I'm from California, this is the position that I have taken. Linda may not be, so your mileage may vary. As for those who continue to recommend making the recordings or ask that I chill out, please make your contact information available to Linda so she can name her co-conspirators when she gets caught.

Rod

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest Anonymous

Okay, since there are now two topics of discussion (how to surreptitiously record a conversation and whether or not it's legal to do so), I'll add my two cents to both.

First, it would be fairly easy to purchase a small mic at Radio Shack and hide it in a pen in your pocket. Under a sweater would work, but every time you move you'll probably get static as the fabric rides over the mic. If you have a cubicle or some static work area, just tuck the mic in general office clutter and keep the recorder on record standby until the guilty parties show up and begin their childishness.

I'd also agree with the general announcement that you record stuff. Even if you bring a dictation machine with you to "record random thoughts". If they happen to unleash on you when you're recording, then oh well.

Second, I don't know if, legal or not, a recording will greatly help your case. It may do you better to get someone you know is on your side to act as witness and vouch for you. A recording may get you some attention from your HR representative, but that person's job is to take a situation like yours seriously from the get go--recording or not. If it does make it to a court, so many people will have been involved that a recording won't count for much.

An idea you may want to try, if you're not already, is to keep a list of times, dates and quotes or descriptions of the actions of whomever is harrassing you. My girlfriend suggests you deliver a firm kick in the crotch. Both of us wish you the best of luck--her mother was in a similar difficulty a few years ago, but clandestine recording wouldn't have helped in her situation.

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besides...just because recording conversations carries certain legal difficulties...that doesn't mean you can't act on your OWN agency (legal or otherwise) on the basis of what you find out...all you have to realize is that you're responsible for the forseeable consequences of your actions.

I personally think the law (I'm speaking generally here, obviously, since I don't live in Cali) is STUPID in these regards...whatever is said or seen in the public sphere of lived human life is public property...but IMHO that stops once you walk through the door of your house or on to private property.

peace

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