Recording Lectures – Audio and Video
Many students might think they are free to record lectures and other teaching sessions to listen to or watch later, but are you actually allowed to do so?
The general rule is that you cannot make audio or video recordings without first obtaining consent from the lecture. The recording must also be conducted in a manner that does not capture other students. If there is a risk that fellow students may be captured in the recording, you must obtain their consent as well before you can start recording.
The exception to the general rule applies if you have been granted a formal decision for educational accommodations by the Department of Academic Affairs , and recording the teaching is part of those accommodations. In such cases, you may record for your own study purposes. Please contact the disability and special needs office.
Below you can read more about how recordings are regulated by law.
Legal Framework for Audio and Video Recordings
The Copyright Act (Åndsverkloven)
According to Section 26 of the Copyright Act, a copy of a creative work (a lecture) may be made without the author's consent if the purpose is private use.
This means that, under the Copyright Act, you can record audio and video from a lecture. However, the Act only allows recordings for private use, meaning exclusively for your own use. You cannot share the recording with a sick classmate, study groups, fellow students who attended the same lecture or those who could not attend, student organizations, or learning groups on Canvas, Teams, Discord, etc.
Sharing the recording with others constitutes a breach of the Copyright Act and may have consequences for you.
The Personal Data Act (Personopplysningsloven / GDPR)
According to Article 2(2)(c) of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of 2016, a natural person may process personal data when it is done "in the course of a purely personal or household activity." In this context, the term "activity" defines the boundaries. Personal and household activities are those that occur exclusively within the private sphere, such as private photo and video storage, private communication (letters, emails, messages), or activities involving only the person themselves and close family members.
According to the Norwegian Data Protection Authority (Datatilsynet), this exception does not cover teaching. This is because teaching, in the vast majority of cases, cannot be defined as a "purely personal or household activity."
This means you must have a "lawful basis for processing" to record audio and video from teaching that includes the image or voice of one or more persons. The most relevant legal basis here is consent, pursuant to GDPR Article 6(1)(a). It is important to remember that the requirement for consent often extends beyond the lecturer, as there is a high risk that fellow students may ask questions or otherwise participate, meaning the recording would also process their personal data.
When a student has special needs—such as hearing impairment, visual impairment, or other disabilities—there may be a legal basis for recording audio or video during teaching, even if recording would otherwise be prohibited. This requires the processing to be necessary and proportionate:
- Necessary: It is not possible to achieve equal access through less intrusive measures.
- Proportionate: The benefits for the student must outweigh the risks and disadvantages to others.
The legal basis for necessary recordings for students with special needs would be Article 6(1)(e) – task carried out in the public interest (accommodations), or Article 6(1)(c) – legal obligation (statutory accommodations).
Other Regulations
In certain study programs at NMBU, such as Veterinary Medicine and Veterinary Nursing, other regulations may impose independent restrictions on audio and video recordings. Examples include confidentiality provisions and internal rules regarding the sharing of information about test materials, patients, or owners at the Animal Hospital. These rules will prohibit the recording of teaching sessions.