Records text chat, in the United States

18 U.S.C. 2511, 2520 · Read the law's page

• Get the consent of at least one party to a wire, oral, or electronic communication before intercepting, recording, transcribing, or disclosing its contents; consent from a person who is themselves a party to the call is enough under federal law even without the other party's knowledge, unless the interception is for the purpose of committing a crime or a tort.
• Expect a civil suit from anyone whose communication you intercept, disclose, or use without the required consent, for the greater of actual damages plus your profits, or statutory damages of $100 a day per violation or $10,000, whichever is greater, plus punitive damages and the plaintiff's attorney's fees.
• Expect criminal exposure of a fine or up to five years' imprisonment for an intentional violation.