Experts are divided – some arguing that new technologies such as chips, pins and biometrics are far more failsafe than the old “sign on the dotted line”, while others believe a handwritten signature is still the best proof of an individual with a personality having thought about a transaction before agreeing to its terms.
Either way, it would be a shame to see the end of a tradition of authorship and agreement that goes back at least 5,000 years to the mark of one Gar Ama, whose name appears on a Sumerian tablet from 3100BC, and which has been common practice - at least in the UK - since 1677 when the English parliament passed the State of Frauds Act to replace X’s and wax seals with signatures on contracts.
If the death of the signature bothers you perhaps it’s time to start an online petition – although the decision as to how to sign it could end up sabotaging the whole enterprise. In the meantime, to share this article, please place your right thumbprint on the sensor and fill in the below letters to prove you’re not a robot.