Microsoft Teams will require explicit consent from users if they want to speak, show themselves, or share content in meetings

Microsoft Teams users will soon be requested to give explicit consent to transcription on the platform, if they want to speak, turn their camera on, or share content in meetings.

According to a recent entry to the Microsoft 365 Roadmap, this new policy and option will be added to the platform later this April and is scheduled to be fully integrated by July 2024.

However, it’s good to know that the policy is optional and can be enabled/disabled at will. When enabled, a pop-up will appear, asking all participants to consent to be transcribed and recorded, and the consent must be given when joining the meeting.

Users won’t be able to speak, show themselves (turning their camera on), or share content until they agree to the policy.

The meeting policy that requires explicit consent to be recorded is expanding to include transcription. When the policy is applied, a notification will pop-up when the recording or transcription is initiated requesting consent of all participants to be transcribed and recorded. Before a user gives consent, the user cannot unmute, turn on camera or share content in the meeting.

Microsoft

The option is more than welcomed and it can be a useful tool for organizations to keep track of their meetings and security; it can also be useful in legal situations, on both parts, the employer, and employees.

Speaking of legal matters, Microsoft is currently going through a controversy with Teams, as the platform will be unbundled from the Microsoft 365 suite in regions such as Europe to prevent the EU antitrust fine. Microsoft Teams will be sold there separately at $5.25, and companies can integrate it with the rest of the Microsoft 365 apps, after purchasing it.

The roadmap says the new explicit consent policy is coming to Microsoft Teams users everywhere, and that includes Europe, as well, so despite the controversy, nothing about the platform should change.