The Hidden Cost of Off-Channel Communication Isn’t the Fine

The real damage happens long after the penalty is paid.

Over $4 billion in fines levied by global regulators since 2021. The numbers are staggering. But here’s the thing: the fine is almost never the most expensive part.

A penalty is something you can budget for. What you can’t budget for are the costs that compound quietly in the background — the ones that don’t show up in a press release or an earnings call. Those are the ones that should keep compliance leaders up at night. 

The Violations Were Systematic — Not Accidental

The SEC’s enforcement wave didn’t uncover a few rogue employees texting on the side. It revealed something far worse: organisation-wide breakdowns in communication control.

• Senior managers, partners, and MDs were involved at every firm
• WhatsApp, iMessage, Signal, and personal email were used routinely for substantive business
• Firms had no mechanism to capture, preserve, or supervise any of it
• Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, Schwab, Blackstone, KKR — all named

The recordkeeping failure was a symptom. The disease was that these organisations had lost control of their own business communications entirely.

The Hidden Costs

Off-channel communication carries consequences that far outlast any regulatory fine. The real costs are the ones that compound quietly and are almost impossible to undo:

• Reputational damage — Public sanctions signal governance failure to clients, counterparties, and regulators, inviting deeper scrutiny on every future audit.
• Litigation exposure — Missing messages trigger spoliation rules, allowing courts to instruct juries to assume the worst about what was never preserved.
• Individual career risk — The SEC and FINRA are now charging and suspending individuals personally, leaving permanent marks on professional records.
• Lost institutional knowledge — Business conversations on personal devices vanish when employees leave, with no archive or trail to recover.
• Cultural erosion — When leadership uses off-channel platforms unchecked, it silently tells the rest of the organisation that compliance rules don’t apply.

The fine is the headline. These are the real costs

What Actually Works

The firms that have come through this enforcement wave intact did one thing differently: they made compliant communication the easiest option, not just the required one.

That means:

• Real-time capture across WhatsApp, iMessage, Telegram, SMS — on any device
• Automated archiving that requires nothing from the employee
• Clean separation of work and personal conversations
• Instant alerts when risky communication behaviour is detected
• Privacy-respecting design that works within GDPR and similar frameworks

The SEC has acknowledged this directly. Firms that self-reported and demonstrated genuine remedial action — like PJT Partners — received meaningfully reduced penalties. The regulator’s message: cooperate and fix it. Silence is costly.

The Bottom Line

The $4 billion in fines is the headline. But for the firms that lived through enforcement actions, the fines were often the least painful part. The reputation damage lasted longer. The litigation risk persisted longer still. The cultural erosion was the hardest to fix.

Off-channel communication isn’t going away. The only question is whether your organisation has built the infrastructure to make it safe.

Because the hidden cost of getting this wrong isn’t a fine. It’s everything that comes after.

DeepView helps organisations capture, archive, and monitor business communications across WhatsApp, iMessage, Telegram, SMS, and other platforms — in real time, across any device. Learn more at deepview.com.

The One Question to Ask Before Scaling WhatsApp Capture for Enterprise Compliance

As WhatsApp continues to embed itself into everyday business communication, enterprise firms are increasingly under pressure to ensure these conversations are captured, retained, and monitored in line with regulatory expectations. For many organisations, the journey begins with a pilot, often successful, controlled, and reassuring.

But scaling WhatsApp capture across an enterprise is a very different challenge.

Before moving from pilot to full rollout, there is one critical question every organisation should pause to ask:

Can this be deployed to every user without changing how people work?

The answer to this question often determines whether WhatsApp capture becomes a sustainable compliance control or an ongoing source of risk.

Why WhatsApp Capture Looks Easy in Pilots

Pilot programmes are typically limited in scope. They involve a small number of users, often within a single team or region, using similar devices and operating under close oversight. In this environment, onboarding is manageable, behaviours are easier to influence, and any inconsistencies are quickly addressed.

At this stage, most solutions appear effective. Capture works as expected, reporting looks complete, and adoption feels high. However, these early results can create a false sense of confidence.

The real test begins when WhatsApp capture is extended to hundreds or thousands of employees across departments, regions, and device types.

What Changes at Enterprise Scale

In large organisations, complexity increases exponentially. Employees work across time zones, use different devices, and operate under varying local policies and regulatory requirements. Teams are under pressure to move quickly, respond to clients, and collaborate efficiently.

In this environment, any solution that requires users to take additional steps, such as switching applications, initiating manual actions, or consciously modifying how they communicate, becomes difficult to sustain. Over time, even well-intentioned employees revert to familiar habits, especially when compliance processes feel intrusive or disruptive.

This is where gaps begin to appear. Messages may go uncaptured, records become inconsistent, and compliance teams lose confidence in the completeness of their archives. What worked well in a pilot no longer scales reliably across the organisation.

Usability as a Compliance Control

In enterprise environments, usability is not simply a user-experience consideration, it is a compliance control.

The less noticeable the capture process is to employees, the more consistent and reliable the resulting records tend to be. When capture operates quietly in the background and does not interfere with daily workflows, employees are far more likely to continue communicating as expected, without seeking workarounds.

Conversely, when compliance depends on human discipline, memory, or behavioural change, risk accumulates over time. Policies may exist, training may be delivered, but operational reality often undermines intent.

This is why enterprise firms are increasingly prioritising solutions that minimise disruption and integrate naturally into existing communication habits.

The Importance of Consistency Across the Organisation

At scale, consistency becomes just as important as coverage. A WhatsApp capture strategy is only as strong as its weakest point. If even a small group of users remains uncaptured, whether due to onboarding challenges, device changes, or regional complexities, the organisation may still face significant regulatory exposure.

Enterprise teams therefore need solutions that behave the same way for every user, regardless of role or location, and that remain consistent over time as the organisation grows and evolves.

Approaches that emphasise quiet activation, minimal configuration, and uniform user experience are increasingly favoured for this reason. Solutions such as ChatGuard are often referenced in enterprise discussions because they focus on allowing employees to continue using WhatsApp as they normally would, while ensuring communications are captured automatically in the background.

From Technical Capability to Operational Reality

Most enterprise firms can find technology that claims to capture WhatsApp. The more important question is whether that capture can be sustained operationally, without constant intervention, retraining, or enforcement.

Effective WhatsApp capture at scale requires alignment between compliance objectives and human behaviour. It requires systems that work with how people communicate, not against it. When this alignment is achieved, compliance becomes embedded rather than imposed.

Asking the Right Question Early

Before scaling WhatsApp capture, enterprise leaders should look beyond features and dashboards and focus on operational impact. Asking whether a solution can be deployed to every user without changing how people work provides a powerful lens for evaluating long-term suitability.

At enterprise scale, the question is rarely whether WhatsApp can be captured. It is whether it can be captured comprehensively, consistently, and without friction, today and in the years to come.

The Enterprise Scaling Checklist

Before you move from pilot to production, ensure your solution ticks these five boxes:

1. Zero-Change UX: Can users use the native WhatsApp app they already know?
2. Platform Agnostic: Does it work across iOS, Android, and Desktop?
3. Automatic Activation: Is the capture “always-on” without manual user triggers?
4. Device Flexibility: Does it support both Corporate and BYOD policies?
5. Audit Readiness: Does the data flow directly into your existing archive (e.g., Global Relay)?

Davos 2026: From Dialogue to Deployment, Why AI Must Move From Promise to Practice

By Catherine Parry, Young Global Leader, World Economic Forum

Each year, Davos provides a moment of pause, an opportunity for leaders across business, government and civil society to step back from operational urgency and reflect on the forces reshaping our world. This year’s World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, under the theme “A Spirit of Dialogue,” could not be more timely.

At a moment defined by geopolitical tension, rapid technological change and economic uncertainty, the call for dialogue is not about conversation for its own sake. It’s about rebuilding trust, aligning incentives and critically, translating shared understanding into concrete action.

The focus areas shaping Davos 2026

Across the programme, several interconnected priorities stand out:

• Cooperation in a fragmented geopolitical landscape: Rebuilding bridges in a divided world.
• Unlocking new sources of growth: Identifying the drivers of the next global economy.
• Investing in people and skills: Preparing the global workforce for a shifting landscape.
• Innovation at scale: Moving beyond pilots to widespread technological implementation.
• Prosperity within planetary boundaries: Aligning economic success with environmental health.

Together, these priorities reflect a recognition that today’s challenges cannot be solved in isolation, nor through incremental thinking.

Yet, among these themes, one topic consistently dominates boardrooms and corridors alike: artificial intelligence.

AI: moving from theory to practice

For several years, AI has occupied a paradoxical space in business. On the one hand, it has been surrounded by extraordinary hype. White papers, pilots and proofs of concept promising transformational impact. On the other, many organisations remain stuck at the level of experimentation, struggling to embed AI into core operations in a way that delivers sustained value.

Davos 2026 marks a subtle but important shift. The conversation is no longer whether AI will matter, but how it will be applied, responsibly, securely and at scale.

Too often, AI is framed narrowly as a cost-saving tool: automation to reduce headcount, optimise workflows or marginally improve efficiency. While these benefits are real, they undersell AI’s true potential. Used well, AI is not merely an efficiency lever; it is an enabler of business model transformation, innovation and growth.

We are already seeing leading organisations deploy AI to create new products, personalise services, accelerate decision-making and unlock insights that were previously inaccessible. In regulated industries, AI is helping firms monitor risk in real time, identify emerging compliance issues and move from reactive to preventative governance.

The critical challenge and opportunity is execution. Moving from theory to practice requires high quality data, clear accountability, investment in skills and a willingness to redesign processes rather than simply layering technology on top of legacy systems. It also requires leadership that understands AI not as a standalone initiative, but as a strategic capability woven into the fabric of the organisation.

AI, communication and the modern workplace

One area where this shift from theory to practice is especially urgent is business communication. While email and enterprise platforms remain important, the reality of modern work is that tools such as WhatsApp and iMessage are now deeply embedded in how business is conducted, including in regulated and sensitive environments.

Globally, WhatsApp alone has over 2 billion users, and studies consistently show that employees increasingly rely on consumer messaging apps for speed, convenience and responsiveness. In financial services, professional services and government, these platforms are routinely used for client interaction, deal coordination and operational decision making often outside formal oversight structures.

This creates a profound tension. On the one hand, these tools enable agility and collaboration. On the other hand, they introduce material risks around data leakage, recordkeeping, market abuse and regulatory compliance.

Research across international organisations shows that 95% of firms experience data leakage through employee generated content, often unintentionally. In a world where tens of millions of images and messages are shared daily, risk is no longer episodic; it is continuous and cumulative.

Here again, AI offers a path forward, not through blunt restriction, but through intelligent enablement. Advanced AI systems can now analyse communications contextually, detect risk patterns, flag potential breaches and support compliance teams without undermining productivity or privacy. This is a clear example of AI driving qualitative transformation, not just incremental savings.

Dialogue as a foundation for action

What links these discussions, from AI deployment to communication risk, is the need for dialogue that leads to action. Dialogue between technologists and regulators. Between leadership and employees. Between innovation and responsibility.

The future will not be shaped by those who adopt technology fastest, but by those who adopt it most thoughtfully. AI’s promise will only be realised if organisations invest as much in governance, culture and skills as they do in algorithms and infrastructure.

As the Davos conversations continue, it is clear that the next phase of AI adoption will be defined less by experimentation and more by institutionalization, embedding AI into how organisations operate, communicate and create value.

I look forward to continuing this discussion in more depth at the House of Lords in March, where we will explore how policy, technology and leadership must evolve together to ensure that innovation strengthens trust, resilience and long term growth.

Dialogue, after all, is only the beginning. The real test lies in what we choose to build next.

The Complete Guide to WhatsApp Recording for Compliance in 2026

Voice communication has returned in a major way—thanks largely to WhatsApp’s voice notes, VoIP calls, and group audio messaging. For regulated industries, the challenge is clear: How do you ensure compliant WhatsApp recording when employees increasingly use voice instead of text?

This guide explains the compliance essentials, risks, expectations, and best practices for WhatsApp recording in 2026.

Why WhatsApp Recording is Essential  in Regulated Industries

1. Voice messages now account for up to 40% of WhatsApp communication

In many organisations, clients prefer sending voice notes instead of typing.
If these messages contain business decisions, instructions, advice, approvals, orders, or recommendations, regulators consider them recordable business communication.

2. Regulators expect full capture—not selective logging

Regulators no longer differentiate between:

• A WhatsApp text
• A WhatsApp voice note
• A WhatsApp call
• An email
• A phone call

If it relates to business, it must be recorded and archived.

3. WhatsApp call recording apps are not compliant

Consumer call-recording apps are:

• Easily bypassed
• User-controlled
• Not audit-proof
• Not secure
• Lacking in enterprise retention features

These tools do not meet regulatory requirements.

What WhatsApp Recording Should Capture

1. Voice notes

Every voice note sent or received must be captured and archived with:

• Timestamp
• Sender/recipient
• Audio file
• Metadata
• Audit history

2. WhatsApp calls (where permissible)

Some jurisdictions allow recording of VoIP calls when done with proper enterprise consent and compliance policy.

3. Transcriptions

Modern compliance systems increasingly provide AI-powered transcription for:

• Faster review
• Keyword search
• Risk monitoring

4. Deleted or edited messages

If a user deletes a voice note, the archive should still retain the original.

The Risks of Not Recording WhatsApp Voice Communications

1. Misconduct and fraud exposure

Voice communication is a common channel for:

• Mis-selling
• Bribery
• Hidden client instructions
• Market abuse
• Undocumented approvals

2. Incomplete audit trails

If regulators request full communication history and voice content is missing, the organisation is at risk.

3. Massive fines

Regulators have already fined firms for failure to capture WhatsApp content of any kind, including voice.

Features of a Modern WhatsApp Recording Solution

1. Automatic capture

Employees should not have to click “Record.” – Recording should happen in the background.

2. Seamless user experience

A good system allows employees to:

• Chat normally
• Send voice notes normally
• Make calls normally

Any friction leads to non-adoption.

3. Secure storage

Captured communications must be stored in:

• Encrypted archives
• Tamper-proof environments
• Retention-controlled systems

4. Real-time monitoring and alerts

Compliance teams need instant visibility into:

• Risky keywords
• Sensitive phrases
• Unusual patterns
• Deleted messages

Best Practices for WhatsApp Recording Implementation

1. Update your communication policy to explicitly cover voice communication
2. Enable compliant recording for teams handling client interactions
3. Train employees on expectations and acceptable use
4. Monitor adoption — ensure every active user is being captured
5. Review recordings periodically to detect risk trends
6. Prepare for audits using a tool that allows quick retrieval of voice content

Celebrating a Decade of the Social Media Charter’s Impact!

Over a decade ago, we introduced the Social Media Charter, a pioneering set of principles designed to guide responsible, transparent, and compliant communication across digital platforms.

What began as a forward-thinking initiative soon became a foundational resource:
✔ Our framework informed the FCA’s own social media guidance, with three lines from the Charter directly incorporated.
✔ It helped shape how firms in the US and UK approached compliance in an increasingly complex online world.
✔ And it set a standard for digital conduct long before social media governance became the industry priority it is today.

Now, 10+ years on, the landscape has evolved dramatically but the core ideas we laid out remain as relevant as ever.

This feels like the right moment to celebrate how far the industry has come, reflect on the Charter’s influence, and continue the conversation around responsible digital communication in financial services.

Here’s to the next decade of doing it better—together.