Time Warner Cable: We Can Record You, But You Can't Record Us

from the oh-look-at-that dept         http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130402/18092222551/time-warner-cable-we-can-record-you-you-cant-record-us.shtml

So we just had a post about a spoof on customer service from Time Warner Cable by the gripe site TWCCustomerService.com, and I see that they've been busy with their next video as well, in which they call Time Warner Cable's customer service center and tell the representative who answers that they are going to "record the call for quality assurance." Hilarity ensues. Here's a snippet.

Caller: First off, I just want to let you know that I'm recording the call for quality assurance...

Customer Service Rep: Unfortunately, I'm actually not authorizing you to do so, sir.

Caller: You're not authorized to do what?

Customer Service Rep: I'm not authorizing the recording, sir.

Caller: Oh, well you guys are recording the phone call on your end. Why can't I record it on my end?

Customer Service Rep: (long pause) Because it's the company sir.

Later on, the CSR admits that, yes, TWC is recording the call, and the caller requests the recording (guess how that goes?). The CSR continues to insist he's uncomfortable being recorded and is not giving any consent, so the caller more or less says the same thing and asks the CSR to turn off the recording on their end. And so it goes.

As a random aside, I'll just bring up the idiocy of places (including my home state of California) that have two party consent recording laws. If you are a party to the call, you should be able to record it without getting the consent of all participants.