E-Label Act signed into law, our gadgets may now be spared of over-etched or over-stickered labeling

Wednesday, President Obama signed the E-Label Act. This will give electronics manufacturers the flexibility to label their devices electronically, rather than physically through etching or some obnoxious sticker.

The new law will accommodate manufacturers that must contend with smaller devices, and thus smaller areas to provide required information that is common on today’s products.

The labels are meant to provide assurance to consumers that the gadget they are buying meets minimum standards related to safety, performance, and recyclability of components. If you do not pay much attention to such labels, you are not alone, but that does not diminish their usefulness, or the requirement that manufacturers provide the information.

Under the new E-Label Act, manufacturers will be able to provide the label data via software. This will give some breathing room with new designs, as well as other product logos. This means we will see less etching in our tablets and smartphones in the future.

The bill passed through Congress with virtually no resistance and was authored by Nebraska Senator Deb Fischer. Naturally, industry groups were in favor of the measure as well.

sources: The Hill via Windows Central