It Pays to Know the Rules, But Rules Vary By State

摘要

When it is ok to call and/or record conversations with people has recently become a heightened area of debate in communications and legal circles. One hotbed of activity on this front is in California, which has a somewhat unique legal approach to call recording, in that the state says it is allowable only in instances in which both parties have given consent. (Meanwhile, federal law requires consent from only one of the parties.) The Golden State has seen hundreds of folks file class action lawsuits alleging calls in which they participated were recorded without their consent, and millions of dollars have in turn been doled out by organizations to settle these claims. Restaurant Applebee's, retailer Bass Pro Outdoor World (which reportedly paid out a $6 million settlement), and financial outfit Capitol One are among the businesses recently targeted with call recording-related lawsuits.