University Clarifies New No-Recording Policy

The Office of the Vice President for Campus Life published a Frequently Asked Questions webpage seeking to clarify the new University-wide recording policy that was passed in November and went into effect at the beginning of the calendar year.

At the Nov. 10 meeting of the Council of the Princeton University Community, where the policy was approved with no opposing votes, councilors and community members asked questions such as what would be included in the scope and how the policy would be enforced.

The policy itself “prohibits the installation or use of any device for listening, observing, photographing, recording, amplifying, transmitting, or broadcasting sounds or events occurring in any place where the individual or group involved has a reasonable expectation of being free from unwanted surveillance, eavesdropping, recording, or observation without the knowledge and consent of all participants subject to such recordings.” Public or open meetings also may be included “when it has been explicitly stated that recording is not permitted.”

According to the new FAQs, the policy is meant “to ensure that the use of audio and visual recording devices does not breach the reasonable expectation of privacy in our educational, residential, research and workplace environments.”

The FAQs state that when privacy is reasonably expected “will depend on the circumstances,” but “members of the University community generally have a reasonable expectation of privacy about their private conversations.” Neither the policy nor the FAQs specifically mention classes, but the policy is meant to include “educational, residential, research, and workplace environments.”

Regarding journalists’ concerns, the FAQs repeat what PAW was told by University spokesperson Jennifer Morrill via email in November: “Rules applying to media vary according to location and circumstance. … The University’s recording policy will be implemented with an eye to maintaining existing media access and to supporting media accuracy, which may be helped by audio recordings that supplement note taking.”

Related coverage

On the Campus

Most Recording Banned on Princeton’s Campus

The policy requires permission from everyone present to record in settings where people expect privacy, but it could also be applied to open meetings and other events

All University events that are open to the public are permitted to be recorded unless otherwise noted. Meetings and events that may be considered private can also be recorded if all participants give consent beforehand.

Regarding enforcement, “penalties will depend upon the nature and severity of the violation.” If a student is suspected, the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students or the Office of the Dean of the Graduate School should be alerted; if a faculty or staff member is suspected, the Office of the Dean of the Faculty or the Office of Human Resources should be notified. Anonymous reports can also be made via EthicsPoint, a University hotline. If a person who is not a member of the campus community is found in violation, they may be temporarily or permanently barred from the University.

If someone shares a recording they did not record themselves, they could also be found to have violated the policy.

The FAQs were published Jan. 2, the day after the policy went into effect.

The webpage states that the University “will add to these FAQs as appropriate as this new policy enters use.”