diff --git a/client/src/MediaControl.tsx b/client/src/MediaControl.tsx
index 23d7925..90baa3c 100644
--- a/client/src/MediaControl.tsx
+++ b/client/src/MediaControl.tsx
@@ -782,36 +782,9 @@ const MediaAgent = (props: MediaAgentProps) => {
             id: t.id,
           });
 
-          // Do NOT force-enable the original local tracks for bot peers.
-          // For privacy and principle of least surprise, respect the local user's
-          // muted/video state. If a bot is added and needs media, mark a pending
-          // consent on the local peer so the UI can prompt the user.
-          if (peer.peer_name.includes("-bot")) {
-            try {
-              const localPeerId = session.id;
-              if (updatedPeers[localPeerId]) {
-                const existingPending =
-                  (updatedPeers[localPeerId].attributes && updatedPeers[localPeerId].attributes.pendingBotConsent) || [];
-                const botName = peer.peer_name;
-                if (!existingPending.includes(botName)) {
-                  const newPending = [...existingPending, botName];
-                  updatedPeers[localPeerId] = {
-                    ...updatedPeers[localPeerId],
-                    attributes: {
-                      ...updatedPeers[localPeerId].attributes,
-                      pendingBotConsent: newPending,
-                    },
-                  };
-                  console.log(
-                    `media-agent - addPeer:${peer.peer_name} Marked pending bot consent for local user:`,
-                    newPending
-                  );
-                }
-              }
-            } catch (e) {
-              console.warn(`media-agent - addPeer: failed to mark pending bot consent`, e);
-            }
-          }
+          // Respect the local user's muted/video state. Do not force-enable or
+          // mark pending consent for bots here. The local user's track.enabled
+          // state (set above) will be used when adding tracks to the connection.
 
           // Add the existing track to the connection and rely on the track.enabled
           // value which was set above based on the local peer's muted/video state.
@@ -1021,17 +994,6 @@ const MediaAgent = (props: MediaAgentProps) => {
         updatedPeers[peer_id].connection = undefined;
       }
 
-      // Also clear any pending bot consent references for this peer name on the local peer
-      try {
-        const localPeer = updatedPeers[session.id];
-        if (localPeer && localPeer.attributes && localPeer.attributes.pendingBotConsent) {
-          const pending = localPeer.attributes.pendingBotConsent.filter((b: string) => b !== peer_name);
-          localPeer.attributes.pendingBotConsent = pending;
-        }
-      } catch (e) {
-        // session may not be available in this closure; ignore safely
-      }
-
       setPeers(updatedPeers);
     },
     [peers, setPeers]
@@ -1555,46 +1517,7 @@ const MediaControl: React.FC<MediaControlProps> = ({ isSelf, peer, className })
   );
 
   // Handlers for bot consent prompts (local user only)
-  const handleAllowBot = useCallback(
-    (botName: string) => {
-      if (!peer || !peer.local) return;
-
-      // Clear pending for this bot and unmute/share media
-      const pending = (peer.attributes && peer.attributes.pendingBotConsent) || [];
-      const remaining = pending.filter((b: string) => b !== botName);
-
-      peer.attributes = {
-        ...(peer.attributes || {}),
-        pendingBotConsent: remaining,
-      };
-
-      // Share: unmute and enable video (you might want different behaviour)
-      setMuted(false);
-      setVideoOn(true);
-      peer.muted = false;
-      peer.video_on = true;
-
-      console.log(`media-agent - User allowed ${botName} to receive media`);
-      // Note: MediaAgent.addPeer uses the current media.getTracks().enabled state when adding tracks;
-      // existing connections won't be retroactively changed here. For a nicer UX we could trigger
-      // renegotiation for that bot connection, but keep this minimal for now.
-    },
-    [peer]
-  );
-
-  const handleDenyBot = useCallback(
-    (botName: string) => {
-      if (!peer || !peer.local) return;
-      const pending = (peer.attributes && peer.attributes.pendingBotConsent) || [];
-      const remaining = pending.filter((b: string) => b !== botName);
-      peer.attributes = {
-        ...(peer.attributes || {}),
-        pendingBotConsent: remaining,
-      };
-      console.log(`media-agent - User denied ${botName} access to media`);
-    },
-    [peer]
-  );
+  // No bot consent handlers — policy: do not override local mute/video state.
 
   // Snap-back functionality
   const checkSnapBack = (x: number, y: number) => {
@@ -1700,44 +1623,7 @@ const MediaControl: React.FC<MediaControlProps> = ({ isSelf, peer, className })
                   muted={peer.local || muted}
                 />
                 <WebRTCStatus isNegotiating={peer.isNegotiating || false} connectionState={peer.connectionState} />
-                {/* If this is the local user's UI and there are pending bot consent requests, show them */}
-                {peer.local && peer.attributes?.pendingBotConsent && peer.attributes.pendingBotConsent.length > 0 && (
-                  <div
-                    style={{
-                      padding: "0.5rem",
-                      background: "#222",
-                      color: "#fff",
-                      marginTop: "0.5rem",
-                      borderRadius: 4,
-                    }}
-                  >
-                    <div style={{ fontSize: "0.9rem", marginBottom: "0.25rem" }}>Bots requesting media access:</div>
-                    {peer.attributes.pendingBotConsent.map((bot: string) => (
-                      <div
-                        key={bot}
-                        style={{ display: "flex", gap: "0.5rem", alignItems: "center", marginBottom: "0.25rem" }}
-                      >
-                        <div style={{ flex: 1 }}>{bot}</div>
-                        <button
-                          onClick={(e) => {
-                            e.stopPropagation();
-                            handleAllowBot(bot);
-                          }}
-                        >
-                          Allow
-                        </button>
-                        <button
-                          onClick={(e) => {
-                            e.stopPropagation();
-                            handleDenyBot(bot);
-                          }}
-                        >
-                          Deny
-                        </button>
-                      </div>
-                    ))}
-                  </div>
-                )}
+                <WebRTCStatus isNegotiating={peer.isNegotiating || false} connectionState={peer.connectionState} />
               </>
             )
           ) : (