Requiring Digital Signatures

[Mike Ingle <MIKEINGLE@delphi.com>]

Some have suggested that a future network might require DSS signatures
and make it illegal to send unsigned data. This would be a Bad Thing.
I found this on comp.dcom.fax. It seems that a similar law is already
in effect for fax machines. It is illegal to send a fax without an
identification line on it! This is very similar to requiring a digital
signature on a message, and sets a bad precedent. 

LO> The manual to my fax software quotes the following:
LO> 
LO> FCC regulation part 68, Section 68.318 (c) (3) states that it is
LO> illegal to send a fax in the U.S. which does not contain the
LO> following sender  information:
LO> "...in a margin on the top or bottom of each transmitted page or
LO> on the first page of the transmission, the date and time it is
LO> sent and an identification of the business, other entity, or
LO> individual sending the message and the  telephone number of the
LO> sending machine of such business, other entity or individual."
LO> 
LO> (from the FaxWorks 3.0 manual, page 8, (c) SofNet, Inc.)