The term "in electronic form" refers to data or information that is stored, transmitted or received in a digital format. This can include text documents, spreadsheets, audio and video files, images, databases, software programs, etc., which are all encoded in binary language that can be processed by computers and other electronic devices. In contrast, paper-based forms of communication such as letters, books, newspapers or photographs are not considered to be in "electronic form". The use of the term is often associated with legal requirements for signing documents, where a signature in electronic form means using an electronic method to sign a document, rather than physically writing on paper.