Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with wiretap

Is it actually illegal to record conversations in MA?

um_maverick — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 10:50:30 -0800

Does the requirement for two-party consent to record conversations in Massachusetts (and other states) really mean that I can't legally record any audio from public places without getting the consent of everybody who can be heard on the recording? Massachusetts is a "two-party consent" state which means "it is a crime to record any conversation, whether oral or wire, without the consent of all parties" (Source) Does this mean that, technically, I can't do things like video/audio record a family party unless all parties consent to it? Is there an exception for conversations that occur in a public place? The law doesn't mention any exceptions, but it seems to be awfully overbearing without some "common sense" exceptions.

And yes, I know YANML, but this article brought the issue to my attention.

Thanks!

why?

jeffburdges — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 08:17:05 -0800

Why are the Democrats granting the telcoms immunity from civil lawsuits in the new FISA bill? What is their angle? Sure, if the yokels understood telcom immunity, one can sell this as "defending America", without giving Cheney's palls another few billion dollars. But do the yokels care? Isn't anyone who cares a safe vote? So doesn't this move alienates & discourages the Democrat's base. Is it just about telcom campaign contributions for the upcoming election? Or are the more specific strategical reasons?

Fired by voicemail

Mijo Bijo — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 18:23:11 -0800

I got fired via voicemail. Am I allowed to publish this voicemail to the web? Some background:

I started working as a waiter at a restaurant about 9 months ago. When I was hired, a friend of mine mentioned that somebody that I was acquainted with used to be a manager there. I was acquainted with this person because he was a regular at an establishment that I had previously worked at. Four months into working there, my boss fired the two bartenders because they started a side business that he felt conflicted with his own. I was promoted to head bartender.

My boss is very vindictive, occassionally making comments to me to the affect, "When you see the old bartender thank him for your job," and other comments. I remained friends with the old bartender and consider him to be a good friend of mine, so I was very put off by the comments. I never mentioned the former bartender because whenever the subject came up it put my boss in a foul mood and my work environment suffered because of it.

Wednesday of last week as him and I were closing the restaurant down for the night we were having a very informal chat. My boss was going on vacation to Argentina (where he's from) and was going over the things that I would have to do to pick up the slack during his absence (liquor/wine ordering, etc.) followed by us both talking about our personal lives. I made a comment that I heard that bad things have happened before he has left in the past. He looked at me puzzled and I explained to him that I heard he fired the former manager right before he left last time he went to Argentina. He asked me how I knew him, I told him he was a regular at my last job. He told me I was lying to him and f#*&ing with him. He told me I only know him because I met him through the former bartender (wholly untrue, never saw the two together in my life). I told him I wasn't, why would I do that? Calmed him down as best I could, but I had to go. Went out after work, had my cell phone charging at home so it wasn't on my person. When I came home I had a voicemail from the owner.

It turns out that the former manager is the chef for the former bartender's side business. I didn't know this, if I did I would never have mentioned his name to my boss. I'm friends with the old bartender, but I am not privy to much information about his business, nor do I inquire.

I have to file a labor board claim against him for:

1. Failure to pay overtime.
2. Working off the clock.
3. Wrongfully scheduling breaks (Come into work, forced to take a lunch break 1/2 hour later, then working for 8 hours straight.)
4. Not giving me my final check.
5. When finally getting my final check it was shorted ~12 hours.
6. Possibly wrongful termination.

I've tried to talk to my former employer but all attempts have failed, the last communication was the voicemail, except for the next day when I came in to get my final check he had an "important table, and I should understand". I waited over an hour and finally gave up on getting paid or talking to him.

I want to publish this voicemail on the web, the friends that I've played it for have all been astounded. He chuckles and refers to me being fired as "good news". I've saved it as an mp3 and edited a person's last name and the name of the establishment out of it (I don't want to give him business, any publicity is good publicity as they say). Can I legally do this? Even if I can legally do this, could this hamper my case with the labor board (I do not plan to sue him in a court, just use the administrative process). I'm in California if that makes a difference.

Response to: "If you've done nothing wrong, you have nothing to worry about"

WetherMan — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 10:18:47 -0800

I'm getting pretty tired of hearing the line "if you've done nothing wrong, you have nothing to worry about" in regards to what's happening right now in Washington. I've heard some long articulate responses to this, but what's a good one or two sentence response that succinctly points out the error in this line of thinking?

In OS X, how can I capture sound from a QuickTime video in my browser window?

kirkaracha — Thu, 01 Jul 2004 15:23:34 -0800

In OS X, how can I capture sound from a QuickTime video in my browser window? I can't save the video to disk.