WHAT ARE THE TECHNICAL/LEGAL LIMITATIONS OF DIGITAL SIGNATURES?
There are both technical and legal limitations regarding the use of digital signatures. Some of the technical limitations involve ensuring that the encryption technology used is safe from hackers and forgery. Public keys may not be posted in a convenient central location, but be scattered among different certificate authorities. Certificate authorities may not be licensed or otherwise regulated for consumer protection. Also, moving to a system of digital signatures may require both time and resources on the part of both the signer and the recipient. In many instances the signer would be a consumer who would need to invest in some encryption software and enter an agreement with a certification authority. If the costs of these services are too expensive then the widespread adoption of digital signatures that involve encryption technology may be slower then the use of other types of electronic signatures that involve smart cards or passwords. The year 2000 served as a milestone in elimina
