Chapter 34 Moderator Presenter Guest

Recording Notifications

When a recording is started in BigBlueButton, all participants are informed. Transparency is key — every attendee has the right to know when they are being recorded.

How You Know a Recording Is Active

BigBlueButton provides clear visual indicators when a recording is running:

  • Red recording indicator — a pulsing red circle is displayed at the top of the screen, visible to all participants throughout the recording.
  • Join notification — depending on the room configuration, a warning message may appear when you first enter the meeting: "This meeting may be recorded."

The recording indicator is visible to everyone in the meeting at all times. If you see the red pulsing circle at the top of the screen, the meeting is currently being recorded.

What Is Recorded

When a recording is active, the following content is captured:

  • Audio from all participants with active microphones
  • Webcam video from all participants with active cameras
  • Presentations and slides shown by the presenter
  • Public chat messages
  • Whiteboard annotations and drawings
  • Shared notes

Private chat messages are not included in the recording. Only public chat is captured.

Privacy and Your Rights

As a participant, you have the right to know when a meeting is being recorded. In many institutions and jurisdictions, the meeting organizer is required to:

  • Inform all participants before starting a recording.
  • Obtain consent from participants, especially in educational or corporate settings.
  • Provide a formal consent declaration if required by local regulations.

If you do not wish to be recorded, inform the moderator. You can turn off your camera and microphone, but note that your public chat messages and any shared content may still be captured.

Recording Notifications for Moderators

Moderators should be aware that participants are automatically notified about recordings through the visual indicator. To ensure full transparency, it is best practice to verbally announce the start of a recording and provide context about how the recording will be used and stored.

Frequently Asked Questions

A red pulsing circle (recording indicator) is displayed at the top of the screen when a recording is active. You may also see a notification when joining the meeting.

No. Only public chat messages are included in the recording. Private messages between individual participants are not captured.

You can turn off your camera and microphone to avoid being recorded on video and audio. However, public chat messages and shared content may still be captured. Speak to the moderator if you have concerns about the recording.

This depends on your institution and local regulations. In many cases, the meeting organizer must inform participants and obtain consent before recording. Contact your organization's data protection officer for specific requirements.