They should be fired for not pulling the fuse on the CVR, unless AC told them to do so which would not surprise me. Mistake my .... They knew exactly what it would look like if they didn't.

Screw pilot privacy (also responsible for German wings pilot flying into a mountain), passenger lives are more important. Boohoo Jerry the pilot is sleeping with Holly the FA, Bill doesn't like Sheila, yada yada all adults so deal.

Stream and record CVR outside of cockpit (trivial today) so that the decision whether or not to keep CVR is out of pilot and company hands.