WhichNoteTaker

Removing sensitive parts of an AI meeting transcript or recording

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Someone reads out a card number, a health detail slips into a client call, or a side conversation gets captured that shouldn't have been. Editing the transcript text doesn't help if the audio is still stored. What you need is a way to remove that part of the transcript and the recording, or to keep less in the first place. Here's what each vendor's pages say they offer.

Quick answer

What each tool says it offers (as of 2026-10-27)

ToolRemove part of a meeting (per vendor)Delete a whole meeting (per vendor)Keep less by default (per vendor)
FellowRedaction: permanently removes selected transcript and recording sections; can regenerate the AI recap; Enterprise only, admin must allow itNot covered on the page we readNot covered on the page we read
FathomTrim a section, everything before it, or everything after it; trims the video too; can't be undone; not for audio-only calls; people with Admin access to a call can trim it and edit the transcriptNot covered on the pages we readCustom data retention programs on Enterprise
FirefliesLists transcript editing; we didn't find a feature for removing part of a recordingNot covered on the pages we readEnterprise: Transcript + Summary only mode, custom data retention
OtterNot covered on the pages we readDeleted conversations go to Trash and are deleted after 30 days, or right away if you empty the TrashNot covered on the pages we read
BluedotNot covered on the pages we readDeleted data is removed right away; backups cleared within 30 daysBusiness: custom data retention

Fellow's paid plans for reference (per vendor): Team $7 a month annual or $11 monthly, Business $15 annual or $23 monthly, Enterprise $25 a month on annual billing. Fathom says it can sometimes restore a trimmed call if you email its support. Prices are list prices before tax. Deals change often; check the vendor's site.

How to handle a sensitive moment

  1. Remove it from the tool first. Use redaction or trim if your tool has it. If it doesn't, decide whether to delete the whole meeting.
  2. Check where copies went. Summaries emailed to attendees, notes synced to a CRM, Notion or Slack, and downloaded files aren't changed when you edit the original. Regenerate or fix those too.
  3. Check the Trash and backups. Otter keeps deleted conversations in Trash for 30 days unless you empty it. Bluedot says backups are cleared within 30 days.
  4. Follow your organization's rules. Fellow's own help page recommends checking your organization's policies on data retention, privacy and recording before you redact. Some workplaces must keep records rather than delete them; ask whoever owns that policy.

Drawbacks to know. Fellow's and Fathom's removals are permanent; Fellow says redacted content can't be recovered. Fathom's trim doesn't work for audio-only calls. Redaction is a cleanup step, not a substitute for asking before you record: if someone says no to recording, stop and delete what you captured.

Recording laws: tell people first. Federal law and most states let you record a conversation you're part of. About 11 states, including California, Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Washington, generally require everyone's consent, and a few states mix the rules. Oregon, for example, requires that everyone in an in-person conversation be told it's being recorded, while phone calls need one person's consent (RCFP guide, ORS 165.540). If people are in different states, the stricter law may apply. Rules outside the US differ too, and many employers, schools and clinics have their own policies. A meeting bot showing up in the participant list is a notice, not consent. The same goes for a "this call may be recorded" greeting: it may not tell people that an AI service is transcribing or summarizing the call, so name the AI note taker when you ask. This is general information, not legal advice. If you're unsure, ask a lawyer where you live.

A simple way to ask. Start recording first, so your announcement is captured on the recording (Washington law requires that). Then say:

"Quick heads-up: I'd like to record this and use an AI note taker to transcribe it, so I don't miss anything. The recording and notes are stored with [tool name]. Is everyone OK with that?"

Wait for a clear yes from each person. If anyone says no, stop and delete what you captured. For meetings with outside guests, also put a line in the invite: "This meeting may be recorded and transcribed by an AI note taker. Let me know beforehand if you'd prefer it isn't."

What we did and didn't do

We read the vendor help and pricing pages below on 2026-10-27. We haven't used these features, so we can't confirm how completely each one removes data from the vendor's systems. Ask the vendor if that matters for your work.

Sources (checked 2026-10-27)

Changes