How to Record your Online Zoom Meetings (GDPR)

Zoom is a tool that has become indispensable in our daily lives due to the global pandemic. Something as common as a work meeting or attending a course has had to be replaced by force by this formula of telepresence. 

In addition, everything points to the fact that many organisations will continue to use this formula after the pandemic: We have entered the “virtual century” due to Covid-19.

It is common for the organisers of the meetings to record the sessions or webinars so that the attendees can consult them later, or even in subsidised training so that there is evidence of the attendance of the students as well as the celebration of the course. 

But what happens with the data processing generated when making these recordings?

You Need Express Consent to be Able to Record

Like any recording you make of natural persons, you need their consent, which we have already discussed before. 

The case of Zoom or an online meeting is different since when accessing a meeting within the workplace, a third-party tool is also being used, so the organisation must show a notice to obtain consent from the attendees to be recorded.

How to Configure this Consent?

This requires a Zoom account with administrative privileges and an active subscription plan. Otherwise, this option will not be available. But don’t worry because below we give you an alternative solution.

Once these data have been confirmed, you must go to the configuration section of your Profile and access the advanced configuration of the meetings.

• Then locate the option “Show a disclaimer” and activate it.
• Once activated, click on Customise Disclaimer, and the following window will open with which to customise it. This has the options of being shown to participants, the frequency (it is recommended to be done every time a meeting is entered), and the languages ​​that will adapt the message.
• When clicking on next, must write the message shown to the visitor when accessing the meeting and the message shown to the visitor when accessing the meeting it is saved, it will show a preview of how the message that the user will see will be.
• If you accept it, you will access the meeting. Otherwise, you will not be able to enter.

What if My Zoom Account is the Free One?

In this case, you will not be able to activate the box that we have indicated, but there are other options… The most recommended is to create a pre-registration form for the meeting, where the basic data of the person is collected (name, surnames, email ). 

In addition to the typical “I have read and accepted the privacy policy” box (where we will link to the privacy policy), we will also include a second box where the consent to be recorded is specifically collected.

It is important that the form system you use saves proof of said consent and associates it with each person who has granted it since. In the event of complaints or inspections by the AEPD, we will have to demonstrate that all attendees have explicitly granted it.