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Compliance9 min read

GDPR Compliance for Meeting Recordings in MENA: What You Need to Know

Navigate data privacy regulations for meeting transcriptions in the Middle East. Legal requirements, best practices, and compliance checklists.

NT
Notah Team
AI & Productivity Experts

Introduction


Recording and transcribing meetings raises important data privacy questions, especially under GDPR and regional MENA regulations. This guide helps you navigate compliance requirements.


€20M
Maximum GDPR fine
or 4% of global revenue, whichever is higher

RegionPrimary LawConsent RequiredData Residency
EUGDPR✅ ExplicitOptional
Saudi ArabiaPDPL✅ YesRequired
UAEPDPL✅ YesRecommended
QatarData Protection Law✅ YesRequired

Key Compliance Requirements


1. Consent

All participants must explicitly consent before recording begins.


⚠️ Warning: In Saudi Arabia and UAE, recording without consent can result in legal penalties. Always announce recording and get explicit consent.

2. Data Minimization

Only record what's necessary. Delete recordings when no longer needed.


Companies with clear retention policies 58%

3. Data Residency

MENA organizations often require data to be stored within the region for sovereignty reasons.


✓ Data Residency
Store meeting data in regional servers
✓ Encryption
End-to-end encryption for all recordings
✓ Access Controls
Role-based permissions for data access
✓ Retention Policies
Automatic deletion after specified periods

4. Transparency

Users must be informed about what data is collected and how it's used.


💡 Pro Tip: Create a simple meeting recording policy document and share it with all team members. Include: what's recorded, how long it's kept, who has access, and how to request deletion.

Best Practices Checklist


Organizations with GDPR compliance program 62%
MENA companies with data residency 45%
Teams using encrypted meeting tools 71%

Conclusion


Compliance doesn't have to be complicated. Choose tools like Notah that offer MENA data residency, encryption, and built-in consent management.


ℹ️ Info: Notah stores all MENA customer data in regional servers and provides automated consent workflows to ensure compliance.

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