In the beginning there was the word of honor – and now a contract can be sealed online using a smartphone with a fingerprint. The spectrum of everyday digital contract conclusions ranges from bargain purchases in the online shop to paperless loan and insurance contracts.

Armies of lawyers are engaged in disputes about the validity, interpretation and handling of contracts. A typical problem with digital contracts already concerns the uncertainty as to whether the agreement was actually concluded with the supposed contractual partner. Anyone who invokes the contract must prove this in case of doubt.

For banks as lenders, the legislature prescribes a prior check of the customer’s identity. This results from § 11 Paragraph 1 of the Money Laundering Act (GWG) in conjunction with § 154 of the Tax Code (AO). For example, there are the classic Postident procedures with checks at the post office counter, at the deliverer or via video chat. The presentation of the identity card or passport serves as the basis. Owners of a new identity card with activated eID function can use the “AusweisApp2” on the PC to prove their identity without a template.

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