What is an electronic signature

You've probably seen electronic signatures (sometimes called e-signatures) before, but you may not know exactly what they are or how they work.

You've probably seen electronic signatures (sometimes called e-signatures) before, but you may not know exactly what they are or how they work. In short, an electronic signature is a digital way of signing a document. It's a secure, legal, and convenient way to sign documents without having to print them out and sign them by hand.

How Do Electronic Signatures Work?

E-signatures work by using encryption to create a secure, tamper-proof connection between the document and the signer. When you sign a document electronically, you're actually creating a unique digital fingerprint that's linked to that document. That fingerprint can't be duplicated or forged, which makes it just as secure as a traditional handwritten signature.

Are Electronic Signatures Legal?

In short, yes! The US government passed the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (ESIGN) in 2000, which made electronic signatures just as legally binding as traditional handwritten signatures. And in 2018, the European Union passed the eIDAS regulation, which did the same thing for EU countries. So no matter where in the world you are, you can rest assured that electronic signatures are legal and binding.

Why Use Electronic Signatures?

There are lots of reasons to use electronic signatures instead of traditional handwritten signatures. For one thing, they're more convenient\u2014you can sign documents from anywhere in the world, at any time of day or night. And because they're digital, you never have to worry about losing or misplacing a signed document. They're also more secure than handwritten signatures, since they can't be forged or duplicated. And if you need to keep track of who has signed a document and when, electronic signatures make it easy to do that with time stamps and tracking features.

Overall, electronic signatures are a great way to securely and legally sign documents without having to print them out and sign them by hand. They're convenient, secure, and easy to use\u2014so if you haven't already started using them for your business or personal life, now is the perfect time to start!

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