ARTICLE · 25 NOVEMBER 1997

Background Paper - International Developments Affecting Digital Signatures

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United StatesMedia, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment

by
Stewart Baker
([email protected])

October 1997

As a result of work I have done for UNCITRAL and for individual clients, I am becoming concerned at the direction of digital signature laws around the world. It looks increasingly risky to incorporate such technology into mass market products.

The attachment was prepared as background for a briefing I was asked to do for Ira Magaziner, Don Gips, and other Administration officials about the recent UNCITRAL group of experts meeting on digital signatures.

Governments around the world are embracing digital signatures. Everybody loves this technology.

Oddly, that's the biggest obstacle it faces. Digital signature technology may be loved to death before it ever gets to really take off.

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