AI memory pendant privacy and recording consent

Two separate questions

Privacy for a wearable that listens has two sides. The first is what happens to your data: where audio and text are stored, who can see them, what happens if the maker is sold. The second is what happens to other people's data: the friends, colleagues and strangers in the room, and whether they agreed to be recorded. This page covers both. It is orientation, not legal advice.

What each maker says about audio

Sources are at the bottom of this page. These are the makers' own statements, not audits.

A certification list is not the same as a privacy guarantee. It tells you the company passed an audit of some processes. It does not tell you what the company will do if it is acquired or changes its terms.

What happens if the maker is sold

The Limitless case is the recent example. Limitless announced on December 5, 2025 that Meta had acquired it. Limitless stopped selling the Pendant that day. Existing customers had to accept updated privacy terms to continue and were moved to a free plan with support promised through 2026. In several regions, including the EU and UK, service ended on December 5, 2025, with until December 19, 2025 to download data before deletion. The company said users can export or delete their data at any time. Sources: Limitless: message from Dan Siroker and customer FAQ, Reuters: Meta acquires AI-wearables startup Limitless (Dec 5, 2025), TechCrunch: Meta acquires AI device startup Limitless (Dec 5, 2025).

The practical lesson is to export your data periodically from any wearable service you rely on, and to check what an export includes before you need it.

Recording other people

Federal law in the United States requires the consent of at least one party to a conversation for recording it, and states may be stricter, according to the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. The Reporters Committee lists about eleven states with all-party consent requirements: California, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan (in some situations), Montana, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Washington. Four more require all-party consent for either in-person conversations or phone calls only, and Hawaii and Maine apply it to particularly private places.

The Digital Media Law Project makes the same point in plainer terms: if the participants are in different states, it is hard to say in advance which law applies, so it recommends getting everyone's consent. Both sources note that it is almost always illegal to record a private conversation you are not part of and could not naturally overhear. Recording laws generally hinge on a reasonable expectation of privacy, which is stronger in a home than in a loud public place.

Both sources also describe implied consent: recording in plain view, or after the parties have been warned and continue the conversation, is generally treated as consent. The Reporters Committee still calls verbal consent the best practice. Plaud's product page makes a similar suggestion and offers an example sentence for asking. Read the sources: Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press: Introduction to the Reporter's Recording Guide and Digital Media Law Project: Recording phone calls and conversations.

Consent in practice

• Say it out loud at the start of a meeting or a call: an AI note taker is running, and you will share the notes if asked.
• Turn the device off in places with a higher expectation of privacy, such as a doctor's office, a bathroom or someone's home unless they agree.
• If the device has a visible indicator, do not cover it.
• Follow your employer's rules. Many workplaces restrict recording tools whatever state law says.

None of this replaces advice from a lawyer, and rules outside the United States differ. If you are not sure, ask.

A data checklist before you buy

• Where does transcription run? On the device, on your phone, or in the maker's cloud. Each has different exposure.
• Is audio kept? If yes, for how long, and can you delete it yourself? Some makers say audio is deleted after transcription and some keep it until you delete it.
• Can you export everything? Try it early. A working export is the best protection against a company being sold or shut down.
• What happens on account deletion? Limitless documents a permanent, irreversible deletion path in its help center. Look for the equivalent for any device you buy.
• Is your data used to train models? Plaud states that recordings are not used to train AI models. soundcore says it will not use your data for training without permission. Check the policy of any other device.
• Who else can see it? Team and enterprise plans add administrators. On a personal plan, the answer should be nobody except you.

Workplace and other special settings

Employers, hospitals, schools and courts often have their own rules on recording, and those rules apply on top of state law. Some makers market to professionals such as clinicians, lawyers and educators, and list compliance certifications for that reason. A certification does not remove your own obligations to the people you record. If you work in a regulated setting, get your organization's approval before using a wearable at work.