When you’re on the phone with someone, it’s hard to know if they have activated the screen recorder on their phone to record the video conversation. Even though WhatsApp does not have a built-in video call recording option, someone may record your video by simply turning on the screen recorder on their phone, which records your face as well as your voice and stores it to the phone’s memory.
Can WhatsApp Video Calls be Recorded?
Yes, WhatsApp calls and texts can be recorded unknowingly at any time and it is very easy to do. Most devices used now come with a screen recording software built into the operation system, but even if the perpetrator did not have this feature, there are multiple third party, free screen recording applications that can easily be used. With other methods such as external cameras recording the screen or audio recorders in the room that can remain hidden with ease, you can never be too safe online chatting with strangers.
How to Know If Your WhatsApp Video Call is Being Recorded?
It’s not easy to tell if a person is recording your video call because you will not get a prompt from the app. The only technique to know is to follow your instinct. If the person is not showing their face and is asking questions that want to implicate you, then it is possible that your call is being recorded. Another way to know if your video call is being recorded is if you ask someone and they tell you. Although this might not be the answer that you’re looking for, it’s pretty much the only way to know if your video call is being recorded for sure. Trying to find out using any other method is pretty much a guessing game and it won’t get you very far.
1. You Were Told By an Automated Message That The Call May be Recorded Before Talking
It is common practice for companies, shops and businesses to record every phone conversation, however they are required to tell you this before talking with a real person. So if you hear something like “this call may be monitored or recorded” while on the phone with some type of business, just remember this is extremely common and nothing to worry about!
2. Use a Third Party Wiretap Detecting Application
Believe it or not, there are apps that instantly tell you if your call is being recorded! This won’t work for every method of recording, of course, but it’s definitely better than nothing for your protection. One app is called Wiretap Detection (Anti Spy) available on the Google play store for Android. To use this app:
- Open it and turn on the main feature, wiretap detection. Now, if your conversation is being recorded, a notification will pop up on your screen while on the call. There are a couple other apps available for iPhone, such as DontSpy 2 and iAmNotified. Again, this of course does not protect you from all different kinds of call recording.
3. You Hear the Echo of Your Voice
If you hear the echo of your own voice on a WhatsApp call, this could mean the person on the other line could be recording your audio. This is because they have to put the call on speaker so they can externally record the call with a second phone or recorder, however this isn’t necessarily always the case. They may just have the call on speaker for some other reason, but in defense of your privacy it’s better safe than sorry. If you hear an echo, ask them to turn on their camera or simply ask if they are recording you. If they admit to recording you, ask what their intentions were and it is up to you how you choose to move on from there!
4. You See Them With A Recording Device In Their Hand While They’re On The Call
If you are on a video call and you see a recording device in their hand or in the background, first stay calm and ask what they’re doing. If they react irrationally, hang up immediately and consider blocking them, especially if they’re someone you just met. They could be trying to spread rumors about you, steal your identity, or worse, extort you for blackmail! These are all things you would never want to happen to you and you can prevent it easily by taking these precautions.
5. Ask Them If They’re Recording
If you are suspicious that someone is recording your calls, try and simply ask if they are recording you. They may have a good reason for it, and a simple explanation could sort it all out. This is not always the case though. Recording calls and private conversations is often done maliciously. They could be trying to spread rumors or worse. Also, in many places, it’s illegal and just asking them if they’re recording could be enough to get them to stop out of fear of prosecution.
6. You Can Hear The Chime of the Start Button When They Start the Recording
If you hear the familiar sound effect or chime of a recording starting, this should be an immediate red flag. If you heard the recording begin, chances are they are recording you externally, meaning they are probably not screen recording you but using an external camera. Ask them what the sound was and if they deny the accusation ask to see if anything’s in their hands. Decide yourself what to do next based off of their response. Don’t be afraid to block and move on!
How to Stop Someone From Recording Your Call on WhatsApp
If you suspect your call is being recorded, tell them that in many places, recording calls without your permission is illegal. By telling them you do not consent to them recording the call, they will be forced to stop or possibly face legal consequences. This does, however, depend where you live. In some U.S States, only one person has to consent to recording calls, meaning you can be legally recorded and have no idea! Just remember if it isn’t a close friend or relative you’re talking to that you could be at risk of being recorded and do not give any detailed info about you.
1. Do a Video Call So You Can See If Anything is In Their Hand
This is the easiest way to instantly find out if you are being recorded or not. If you see a camera in their hand or in the background and you do not want to be recorded, you could simply end the call or tell them to stop and refuse to continue the call until they do. However, this strategy is somewhat flawed as they could just be screen recording everything internally through their phone instead.
2. Use Face Masking Filter App
WhatsApp unfortunately does not offer camera filters over video call. However, you can install a third party app called Effects video – Filters Camera to add filters and masks on your video calls. By using this, you can remain anonymous if you wish. Just be careful, if you move too far away from the center of the camera or move too quick, the filter could momentarily turn off exposing your face! This is also an Android only application, so sorry iPhone users – you’re all out of luck for this option. But don’t worry, there are many great video chatting apps that have built in face filters! Skype, FaceTime, Snapchat, Instagram and Oovoo are only a few of the most popular video chatting apps that offer this feature.
Does WhatsApp Notify Screen Recording?
WhatsApp will notify you whenever your message has been sent and opened. However, WhatsApp will not notify you if the caller starts screen recording. This has a lot of potential for danger if you’re not careful and it may be more safe to use programs that do have this notification, like Snapchat or FaceTime. If you record a call with someone without them knowing, WhatsApp wouldn’t notify them that you’re recording it. This might help you if you wanted to save a conversation so that you can have it in your files ready to look at later.
WhatsApp Call Recording Notifications?
If you’ve been wondering if there are certain ways that someone could tell you’ve recorded their call, there is none. WhatsApp notifies its users with notifications when a certain action has been taken on their WhatsApp account. WhatsApp doesn’t provide its users with notifications when it comes to anyone recording the call so you can’t see who records your call nor can someone else see if you record a call with them.
What to Do If You Find Out Someone is Secretly Recording Your WhatsApp Call?
If you conclude that someone has in fact been recording your conversations, it can be a very scary, overwhelming feeling. Many things factor into how serious the situation can be. But do not panic! Did you;
A. Use Your Real Name During the Calls?
If you’ve given the person secretly recording your first and last name, your identity could be at risk. Think about what you’ve talked about with this person. Did they acquire any other valuable information from you? If not, you shouldn’t have to fret too much, but just keep in mind to use a fake name or alias online to avoid any future problems.
B. Show Your Real Face During the Calls?
If you’ve not only given them your first and last name but showed your real face as well, this gives the secret recorder even more of an advantage. Again, this is not that big of a deal, as long as you didn’t do anything out of ordinary while showing your face, or give up any other personal information. If you know who this person is, demand they stop and delete all the footage they’ve taken. Threaten to call the police if necessary.
How to Record Whatsapp Video Calls
You may want to record your conversations on WhatsApp for a number of reasons. There are many methods if you wish to do this, such as built in or third party screen recording software, or you can record it with a second phone or camera. This could be useful for specific situations. Say you find out a stranger you’ve been chatting with has been recording you the whole time. You could start recording them, too, and gather evidence that they were recording you without consent. Just be careful you don’t do anything that could get you in trouble!
Android
Although there is no official function to record video calls on your smartphone, there is always a way around this limitation. If you wish to record a WhatsApp video call, you have to open the screen recorder program on your Android smartphone and record the video conversation. You can also use a third-party app. A popular app that most people rely on is Cube Call Recorder. There are also various applications for Android phones that allow you to record WhatsApp conversations. First, download the Cube Call Recorder from the Google Play Store and install it on your phone to record calls on Android phones. Once you have opened this app, you will need to make a phone call. As soon as the call begins, you will also see the cube call widget appear on your screen. The call recording will start as soon as you click it.
iPhones
With iOS 11, Apple added the built-in screen recorder capability, which is quite helpful when recording phone calls and other conversations. You may use this function to record WhatsApp video calls on your iPhone without having to go through a lot of trouble. It also implies that you will not need to use apps to record WhatsApp video calls on your iOS device. You can also connect your device to your computer to record calls. First and foremost, you must connect your iPhone to your MacBook Pro. After connecting, select QuickTime from the drop-down menu. Then navigate to the File menu and select the option to create a new audio recording. Before making a WhatsApp call to anyone, use the Record button on your QuickTime program. Now, as soon as you make a phone call, the recording will begin immediately. After you have finished the call, the recording will also get stopped. After that, you may save the file.
Other Communication Applications
Even though WhatsApp is one of the best apps for talking with strangers located anywhere in the world, just like everything else, it isn’t perfect. Screen recording is the most commonly used method of recording things like phone or video calls, and the fact that WhatsApp does not offer any type of notification when someone is recording makes this app potentially dangerous if you aren’t being careful enough. If you’re not experienced talking with strangers online, try using Snapchat, FaceTime, or Instagram for these type of notifications.
Conclusion
Apps like WhatsApp are great for free international calls, meaning you can call or text people from different countries with no charge. However, security is very important and if you don’t take the necessary precautions you could end up in a lot of unwanted trouble. Meeting new people online can be perfectly safe as long as you never let your guard down. Use an alias (a fake name or nickname), don’t ever show your real face, and do not hesitate to block shady characters online. Never, ever give an online stranger any personal info like your address or social security number. Identity theft is a huge problem all around the world. In the US alone, nearly 15 million people a year are in some way affected by identity theft, so you can never be too safe when chatting with strangers online.
