Is it illegal to let a 3rd part listen to a voicemail message?

[MarkBoot_252734]

Someone left me a voice message they then found out I had played their message to a 3rd party. They told me it is illegal to play the message I received from them to a 3rd party. Are they correct? Who owns the message? I live in the UK

[MSF]

@MarkBoot_252734  When they made the call, did they specifically say that it was private and confidential - did they start their voicemail message with that statement?

Normally, those who need to leave a confidential message e.g. hospitals, doctors' surgeries, do not leave a message on voicemail - other than perhaps to ask you to call them back.

If you had been able to answer the call originally and had the phone on speakerphone setting, others could have heard.

While making it clear that I am NOT legally qualified, this sounds like rubbish. As far as I am concerned, if someone leaves you a message, then it belongs to you - within the T&C's of the telephone network.

[MSF]

@MarkBoot_252734  To add a bit more....

The other party voluntarily left a message for you without knowing who had access to your voicemail. The point to consider is whether there was any implied confidentiality in what they said on their message.

If you had recorded what they said without their permission, that could be a different issue.

Why are they so bothered anyway?