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Should I ask my teacher before using software of speech-to-text in classes ? The software in question does not record (the audio) at all, just "hear" the input and output text.

What about using it in conferences and lectures ? And is it OK to share this with other students ? I'm more worried about legal issues than anything else (European Union and U.S jurisdictions).

Davidmh
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Freedo
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    Related questions: Is it okay to record audio for a lecture? and Under what circumstances would a professor be offended at students taping or recording his or her lecture? – Nobody Feb 11 '16 at 07:17
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    I do have problem with what you say "The software in question does not record at all,". When it outputs texts, do you display it? Do you store it? Please clarify. – Nobody Feb 11 '16 at 07:26
  • @scaaahu Sorry, I meant that the software doesn't record AUDIO, only the texts. The texts are then stored in google docs – Freedo Feb 11 '16 at 07:43
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    @Freedo Then YES. Really, really, YES. How would you take to having your words recorded and put online without permission? – Jessica B Feb 11 '16 at 07:45
  • @JessicaB Well, google docs is "online" but it is not public at all, so what is the difference of having it locally on your phone/pc ? – Freedo Feb 11 '16 at 07:47
  • @Freedo No data has ever been accessed without permission from a 'safe' online space... – Jessica B Feb 11 '16 at 07:47
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    @Freedo FYI, when you put text on google docs, you grant Google a worldwide license to use, host, store, reproduce, modify, create derivative works (such as those resulting from translations, adaptations or other changes we make so that your content works better with our Services), communicate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute such content. (although The rights you grant in this license are for the limited purpose of operating, promoting, and improving our Services, and to develop new ones.) So "not public" is debatable. – Federico Poloni Feb 11 '16 at 08:33
  • @JessicaB, you should mark sarcasm more clearly, some people have the respective sense completely absent. – vonbrand Feb 12 '16 at 00:09
  • The only possible answer is that it is not allowed to record what is said without explicit permission. Same, just stronger, applies to sharing it. As @FedericoPoloni's comment states, you are sharing with Google and giving them wide permission to use the recording, and that is an even bigger no-no. – vonbrand Feb 12 '16 at 00:12

2 Answers2

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Yes.

It is always polite to ask anyone for permission before acting towards them in a way that clearly differs from what is generally taken as the norm.

I'm curious what you see as the argument against doing so, given you ask about etiquette.

Jessica B
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  • I suspected that the teacher wouldn't want records of what they spoke without a lot of preparation like you do in lectures, and worried that I could leak it for revenge or things like that – Freedo Feb 11 '16 at 07:46
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    @Freedo Exactly. – Jessica B Feb 11 '16 at 07:46
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    @Freedo For an extreme case, I could imagine a situation where a medical lecture is teaching about a very rare condition, and they are allowed to discuss cases within the lecture because it's necessary to protect people with the condition, but that private information should not be generally released because that could identify someone's medical history. – Jessica B Feb 11 '16 at 08:01
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    @Freedo that is an excellent reason for asking them in advance. The answer may be no, but the consequences could be worse if they discover you were recording them without permission. – Davidmh Feb 11 '16 at 09:32
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I think that you should indeed ask. Depending on your country / institution normally either the lecturer or the University owns the copyright to the oral presentation, and I suspect it is immaterial whether you record his voice signal or the spoken words.

CrepusculeWithNellie
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