"it feels like everything I say is being immortalized, and I can't proofread my speech in the same way I can proofread a textual message". Why does this matter? Are you later held to account for things out-of-context? Or does it just make you feel awkward?

Mostly it feels weird. There have been situations where I've seen individuals attempt to scrub through recordings to prove something was/wasn't said before. I have not personally been scrutinized in such a way, but given what I have seen, I can easily foresee it turning into a situation that ends up being more uncomfortable than just discussing the present situation.

@throwaway1231249242 but that's the point of a recording - so there's no ambiguity as human memory have been proven, over and over, to be absolutely awful at remembering stuff. What's the outcome you hope, for the recoded meetings to stop altogether, or just never when you join?

Practically, I know I cannot control what other people do when it is their meeting. I'm not going to try and throw my weight around in those situations. I have shared this opinion with some people I work with, and I very deliberately do not record the meetings I organize. To answer your question directly: I wish we would stop recording meetings, but I am not going to be a nuisance when someone has already decided to do it themselves.

@throwaway1231249242 But that's kind of the worst case scenario, you are not following what seems to be established policy, but also not trying to resolve what you perceive a problem.That's why I am asking what is the end result you want, and if you don't really think ending of recordings will happen, what's the other outcome that's achievable?

It's definitely not a policy of any kind, it's just something some people ask for. I do take your point, though, that I may be fighting a losing battle. That's kind of why I got the inkling I might be being unreasonable, but I really wasn't sure, given it's something I know I'm uncomfortable with, and I wouldn't want to make others uncomfortable with, either.

Let me get this straight. You're saying there are humans out there who want to spend their time watching a recording of a work meeting? Meetings are bad enough just to attend, unless you're the guy talking nonstop — and they want that but without the chance to be that guy? Bizarre.

@jwodder what if watching a meeting video gets you out of being in the meeting? ;) You can fast forward ...^^

While I also wouldn't be a huge fan of meeting recordings, I question the issue of not having the ability to proofread what you say. How does not having the recording on assist in that? You'll still say what you say, people will then hear it and act on it. If it's 'mad talk' because you mistakenly said next week instead of the week after our whatever then thier first act will likely be to ask for clarification. A simple and positive event in an engaged and magnanimous workplace culture, how is yours?

Where in the world are you? In countries with good privacy laws, you may not have to agree to recording.

@nvoigt not sure jurisdiction is really relevant to the question. The OP is not being forced into recorded meetings by any policy or instruction from their superior, they are just being asked to record meetings as a favor for those who cannot attend. Even if the OP has the legal right to refuse recording, it doesn't really solve the workplace issue of coworkers being upset with this.

@throwaway1231249242 if I were in your shoes, I would ask myself if the issue truly with being recorded or is it something bigger. A workplace where there's risk of having someone dig up old recordings to take your words out of context for some sort of gotcha sounds like a hostile one.

@PCLuddite Well, wether your coworkers want something outrageous borderline illegal, or something perfectly acceptable in your country is certainly making a difference in responding to their request, don't you think?

A simple solution might be to record "to the cloud", which is possible on zoom at least. On a normal plan these recordings are deleted after a while, which may make it feel less like you're being immortalized. Additionally, it seems very unlikely that the colleague will actually watch the recording, so it just sits around for a bit and then disappears.

I think this question would benefit from a country tag.

@PCLuddite re: your question to nvoigt - if it's illegal, that can open different doors to dealing with such requests. Even raising it up to a company-wide ban of the practice. And that can be with good reason. The company may literally be in breach of law for this practice. There might also be acceptable alternatives provided by legislation. It's vastly different type of answer than dealing with something that is allowed but one party just dislikes.

What about meeting minutes ? Are these OK with you to be recorded? If minutes are OK, why are those OK to be recorded but not an audio/video recording?

Are these recordings to be kept for ever?  Or merely long enough for absent colleagues to view, and then deleted?  (The latter seems more likely — and perhaps less worrying.)

If it is a meeting - then someone should take minutes as the official record - nothing else matters. However if it's a presentation or brain-storming session that's something different and recording may be useful to both the participants and others. I'd examine the reasons for being 'uncomfortable' with recording. After all whatever you do say is going to be heard and possibly remembered by someone anyone, that might be mis-remembered to make things worse - whereas a recording should be definitive.

@PC Luddite the country may well be relevant because, in countries with good privacy laws, usually the population finds privacy more important, so refusing to be recorded would be a normal thing and coworkers would not be upset. For example, I cannot imagine a refusal being a problem in my country, and I am surprised by all the answers here.