Electronic Signatures

[MBA UOP]

How does electronic signatures affect commerce in foreign countries. I don't think that EU buisnesses have to obide by these rules, right? I think they might use them for guidelines. I can't seem to find this answer. Any help would be appreciated. The law here is called E-SIGN.

Thanks,

[YaSO]

How does electronic signatures affect commerce in foreign countries.
In what aspect of commerce more specifically? Examples?

[MBA UOP]

I would say purchasing from a website in the US that sells to a foerign country. I think Germany, Russia, and other foreign countries don't have to obide by this law. I think it is a guideline for them.

[YaSO]

I'm still confused about what you mean by electronic signature, but here's what I think about related issues.

"electronic signature" means identification to me like driver's license and DNA sample; the former might not work too well in some cases, but you get the idea. Thing, idea, virtual stuff, to identify one's identity over the net kind of exists. For example, email. PayPal lets you create your account if you have email address; that's all you need. You can pay and get anything you want as long as

1. E-commerce site accepts PayPal and
2. Goods can be shipped from a foreign country to your country(Germany -> US, US -> UK, etc) legally.

Whether email address is a perfect identification key is a debate. I don't get into the debate now, but I do think that the net is still rather insecure and can be improve 1000%. All electronic transactions should be encrypted and authenticated. In fact, only unencrypted data should be something like a set of websites(my website, your website, news, etc) completely open to public. This will really bring the quality of electronic identification -> electronic signature. When that happens, yes, we should see a huge jump in the amount of activities taken place on the net.

Is this the kind of stuff you are talking about? Or ... am I off-topic-ing?

[MBA UOP]

Sure thanks! The law for elecronic signatures makes it easier to do business; signing contracts, purchasing items.

It saves time and paper and gives the two parties the choice of using the old format (singing contracts and waiting for them in the mail or fax) or using the new e-format. If the e-format is used, it is just as binding as paper and pen.

Now, if a company in the US contracted work or sold to a company in Russia, would Russia hold the e-contract binding like the US government does?

[YaSO]

Now, if a company in the US contracted work or sold to a company in Russia, would Russia hold the e-contract binding like the US government does?
Well, I have no idea. I will be running multi-national, several-million-dollar business in several years, so I will let you then. I supposed I will be learning how to handle matters like what you described as the situation necessitates me.