Where are we with this? Please set the legal side of the topic aside: there are places in the world where recording calls that you are part to is perfectly legal without telling anyone, and let’s assume people from those places want L5 to have the feature. I am one of them.
So, are there any apps/settings that allow to record calls on L5?
You cannot blame a device for on-ethical behavior. It’s the owner who’s responsible. If you don’t trust the other side of the line be careful what you say.
Alexa, etc. is a different case. Here the (permanent) listener is a company (app) and untrustworthy by definition. This type of listening device should be forbidden.
In principle, every linux recording software can do the job.
For instance: arecord is a command-line soundfile recorder for the ALSA soundcard driver. It supports several file formats and multiple soundcards with multiple devices. (I will try this myself when I receive my L5. Did someone else tried arecord? )
Sounds promising. From my Android experience, getting direct access to the digital sound passing through the system may be quite a challenge. Hopefully it is not on Linux/L5.
Given how much woes and concerns this (proposed) feature is receiving, I may have to end up creating my own version of the Calls app or something like that. At the end of the day, all I need is to just log audio to a folder. No GUI required.
Maybe a good start is here:
Looks like a solution to this has to be very hardware specific. Not very straightforward on the PinePhone either.
First of all, not all phones are made same throughout the world. There are many variants of a phone model sharing one name, the same design and even software, but some have particular features turned when others have turned off, usually according to the laws where getting sold. Camera feature on phones in US is not required to make shutter sound but many places out of US require phone manufactures to have some sort of loud enough sound when pictures are taken. Is it illegal to own and use a mobile device not making its shutter sound? Not really. However, it is illegal to take pictures without letting others know. Just having it and using it is not enforced, but doing it without letting people know can be a serious offense. On the other hand, recording phone calls for own personal purpose only is allowed, but recordings made without the consent of the other side cannot be used for any legal matter.
Freedom? Yes, in most countries, people’s freedom is not just allowed but considered as rights. That does not mean anyone is free to hurt others in any way. We all do not want to be victimized, then we all shall not do wrong to others. That’s one basic rule, isn’t it?
BTW, it is illegal to record phone conversations on any physical parts of communication systems including wires, but it is not illegal to record or listen to things you can capture from the air since they are considered as broadcasting.
Definitely again “according to the laws” applicable where the phone is being used. It is difficult to generalise across the entire world.
In Italy is legal to register phone calls also without inform person on the other side and it can be used in a trial but just by direct interested, not third parties!
So could I use arecord?