To not want to be recorded during training course?

[worriedaboutrecording]

Name changed as I know some of my colleagues use this site.

Our organisation is running a mental health awareness session online in a few weeks. Fab, couldn't be a better time. I'm doing okay, but I know that there are several people in my team who aren't, and I'm glad that a forum is being created explicitly about mental health.

I heard a few days ago that the course will be recorded by the training organisation. I've asked for clarity as to why it will be recorded and what will happen with the recording, but haven't received a reply as yet.

I feel really uncomfortable about such a sensitive topic being recorded. The course will be 'interactive' ie people will share information about themselves. I think I'd feel differently if it were the Fire Safety course, but I'd still have the same questions as above.

The person in HR who I asked seemed surprised by my questions. Is recording training becoming the norm? Have I missed this development in the MSTeams universe?

YABU - recording the training not a problem
YANBU - I would have a problem with this too

If it was just recording the presentation being done by the course leader that would be one thing but I doubt many people would be happy talking about their mental health in an environment where you don’t know where that will be shared

Infact I would expect any course like that to start with the normal “nothing leaves this room unless someone is at danger” talk

I agree with Sirzy.

There's no way I'd be wanting to disclose stuff outside my doctor's office if it were going to be recorded.

I think HR should be questioned again about this. What is the recording for? Who is going to be viewing the recording? What steps will be taken to ensure that confidentiality is maintained? Etc, Etc.

Once the questions start, it might concentrate the minds of HR that recording people discussing very sensitive stuff might not be a good thing to do.

Absolutely not! Why would it be recorded? What do they plan to do with it? I'm not sure an online MH awareness course is something I'd feel particularly comfortable doing anyway, but I just wouldn't do it if it was to be recorded.

Can you opt out?

I'm a mental health professional and I wouldn't consent to it being recorded !

They really must mean just the trainers - it's either that or the people doing it don't have proper training

Yep a presentation is one thing. But a course where you share potentially personal info is a no for me too.

I would not want this either but bear in mind that if anyone needs to use captions on the platform then everything that is said will be recorded by the captions. So even if providers don't explicitly tell you they are recording the audio/visual, the audio may be getting recorded anyway.

If its easier perhaps you could frame your objections in relation to GDPR? If participants are recorded, if with agreement, the organizational has legal responsibilities in how they store the video and what they use it for.

Yes, mention data protection and the GDPR. I think at the very least they should give everybody a form beforehand to explain all that, so they can sign if they're happy to be recorded, and not if they aren't.

This is a GDPR issue (as well as lack of sensitivity and common sense). Ask them if they've conducted a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) for the processing of this personal data.

Thanks all.

I'll wait until I hear back and what they say before throwing GDPR at them. As HR are the 'experts' in GDPR, I'm hoping that a few simple questions will get them to see the fairly obvious problem and change their mind.

It was just something I noticed in an attachment to an email about the training - I just happened to notice it.

I could opt out, but I am (was?) encouraging my team to attend, and I can't do that in good faith if I've got concerns about it.

But thanks. I thought I was over-thinking it, but maybe not.

Also consider that someone could just record the session at home, unofficially. They shouldn't and it should be confidential, but I would, unfortunately, be careful about what I discussed in that setting.

Isn't it obvious if someone is recording though - the red light shows.

Recording a training session as a participant where confidentiality had been agreed would be gross misconduct at least. I can't imagine why anyone would do that.

@LaurieFairyCake

I'm a mental health professional and I wouldn't consent to it being recorded !

They really must mean just the trainers - it's either that or the people doing it don't have proper training

The organisation running the training are a nationally known mental health charity!

That's why I thought I must have missed something in online etiquette or protocols.

There are screen capture systems you can have on computers apart from the actual system recording function or just a phone. Yes of course it is gross misconduct/ against GDPR but personally I would still be cautious.