At the beginning of the interview, the caseworker requests the applicant’s consent for the use of
videoconferencing to carry out the interview. The applicant consent is given orally and is recorded in the
audio recording of the interview and in the written transcript. However, in GCR’s experience, applicants
are not informed about possible consequences in case of refusal to use digital tools, such as rescheduling
the interview at a later date. Other issues arising from the use of digital tools include technical issues,
such as poor internet connection and inadequate sound quality. Even under ideal conditions, video
conferencing may negatively affect the quality of the interpretation and possibly the interview due to the
loss of non-verbal communication cues.
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