Thumbs-up emoji counts as signing a contract, rules Canadian court
Be careful the next time you send the thumbs-up emoji!
The thumbs-up emoji has caused much controversy, from first being seen as being passive-aggressive to now being used to agree to contracts.
According to a report by New York Times, a court in Canada ruled against a man for using the thumbs-up emoji after a contract was sent to him.
The court forced the man to honour his agreement as it ruled that the emoji could be seen as an agreement of the contract.
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The dispute occurred after farmer Kent Mickelborough sent a signed contract to sell 87 metric tons of flax to grain buyer Chris Atcher.
According to Atcher, he responded with a thumbs-up emoji to acknowledge that he received the contract, but Mickelborough took the emoji as a confirmation of agreement to the contract.
Justice TJ Keene agreed with the farmer that the emoji could be seen as a “non-traditional means to ‘sign’ a document” and ruled against Atcher.
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“I, therefore, find that under these circumstances that the provisions of s. 6 of the [Sale of Goods Act] have been met and the flax contract is therefore enforceable,” ruled Keene.
“There is no issue in this regard that requires a trial.”
Keene added that the thumbs-up emoji is an “action in an electronic form”.
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