Nothing is shaking 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 addresses “numerous requests” from users seeking a tool to “protect themselves against bad players.” Previously, Android users could only record calls with the region-restricted built-in recording option in the Google Phone app or via some third-party apps. These third party apps, though, have been removed from the Play Store following Google’s decision to restrict this functionality back in 2022.
Having this as a feature on Nothing Phones is nice and all, but the fact remains that there are legal implications to consider.
Carl Pei‘s post is flooded with replies asking what is already on everyone’s mind: Is this even legal? While Pei himself didn’t seem to address it, some folks took to answering some of these questions themselves. For example, one user (
@aarontbarrat) added that in the U.K., for example, it is legal to record phone calls as long as 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 of them (California, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Washington) require consent from everyone involved. Google’s implementation of the call recording feature in the Phone app is restricted to devices and cell carriers that allow it, and it notifies the call participants that the call is being recorded.
Adding this feature is definitely a bold move that positions Nothing phones as an attractive option for those concerned with security or needing evidence in potentially problematic situations. It will be interesting to see how the company addresses any legal issues that may arise. It won’t be the first time the company has been in hot water over features that weren’t properly vetted.
