We can’t just change the definition of ‘recording’

Whatever your personal opinions about privacy, it’s generally agreed that you can do whatever you want with your own data. Before gadgets could “always listen,” they slotted into public and private spaces more seamlessly. This new crop of gadgets, however, asks you to be a more active steward of other people’s privacy. After all, humans don’t live in hermetically sealed bubbles. We live, work, and hang out in a multitude of environments — some private, others public, and plenty in a gray area. The rules for a restaurant differ from those of a theater, office, or sporting venue. They’re vastly different from a public restroom, even though these are all at least semi-public spaces. Even if you “record” everything you see in your mind, human memories can’t be shared objectively. They’re colored by biases and warped by perspective. Recordings are less subjective and arguably factual.