Interview Signal consent features: notice, record and pause

Interview Signal handles consent in four ways. Every role carries a one-sentence notice for you to read aloud, written for where you are and editable; the pre-interview screen shows it beside a choice of where you are interviewing from; whichever option you tick, "I will read the notice aloud" or "Consent is not required where I am", is saved with the interview; and "Pause capture" stops all transcription in one click if the candidate says no. The step is optional and the app gives no legal advice. This describes version 0.9.10, the current release as of October 2026.

Not legal advice: recording and notice rules differ by country and by US state.

Why does Interview Signal need a consent step at all?

Because nothing joins the call. With no bot and no meeting integration, the candidate sees no participant, no recording banner and no platform consent prompt (see how Interview Signal records without a bot). If they are to know their words are being transcribed, you have to tell them, and the app is built to make that one sentence easy.

Where does the consent line come from?

When you generate a role's kit, the last section is "Consent notice", with the instruction "Read at the start of the call. Edit it to sound like you." The generated sentence is in the first person, says you use a tool that transcribes your notes, and invites the candidate to say if they would rather you did not. If you have picked a location on an earlier interview, the line is written for that place. You can change the wording at any time and save the role.

A role without its own line uses this default:

"Before we start — I use a tool that transcribes our conversation as we talk, so I can pay attention to you instead of typing. The audio isn't kept, and my notes stay on my computer. Let me know if you would rather I did not."

How do I use the consent step before an interview?

1. On the pre-interview screen, scroll to "4. Consent". Its status reads "Optional".
2. Under "If you need to, read this aloud at the start:", check the line for this role.
3. Under "Where are you interviewing from?", pick your location. The list names California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Washington, then "Other US state", United Kingdom, Ireland, European Union, Canada, Australia and "Elsewhere". The app remembers your pick.
4. Tick one option: "I will read the notice aloud", or "Consent is not required where I am, and I take responsibility for that". The status changes to "Will read aloud" or "Not required here".
5. Press "Start interview", and read the line as the call begins if you chose to.

Since version 0.9.7 this step no longer blocks "Start interview"; only the audio check is required. The screen explains why: "Whether the candidate has to be told depends on where you both are."

What does Interview Signal record about consent?

• In the interview file on your computer: which option you ticked, the location you picked and the time.
• On the review screen: the "Consent" line reads, for example, "notice read aloud · California", "not required", or "not recorded" if you ticked neither.
• On Interview Signal's server: the consent acknowledgement and jurisdiction label are two of the counts-and-labels fields kept for each interview, so a team can see the decision was made. No audio, transcript or candidate name goes with them.

The record says what you chose. It is not a signed acknowledgement from the candidate. Where the rest of the interview is kept is covered in where your data is stored.

What if the candidate says no, or asks me to stop?

1. Press "Pause capture" in the top bar. It is always visible during the interview.
2. Both audio lanes stop. Nothing is buffered and nothing is sent, and the banner "Paused — nothing is being recorded." stays up.
3. Take notes by hand, or press "End interview".
4. If they agree to continue later, press "Resume capture".

Paused time is left out of the transcript's clock, and the review screen shows how long the interview was paused. "Mute me" is not the control for this: it silences only your microphone, and the banner says the candidate "is still being transcribed and scored".

What does the app not do about consent?

• It does not decide the law for you. The location list records where you are; the rule that applies may also depend on where the candidate is.
• It does not ask the candidate anything, send them a notice or collect a signature.
• It does not block an interview when no choice is ticked.
• It does not read the line for you. Saying it is your job, and the line stays on the pre-interview screen, not the live one.

Where can I check the rules?

The pre-interview screen links to the consent guide on our site, which summarizes common cases and has a notice you can paste into a calendar invite; the consent checker takes your location and the candidate's. For more depth, see two-party consent states, recording calls across state lines and the interview recording consent script. All of these are general information, not legal advice; for your own markets, ask counsel once and write the answer down.