Avast ye! A judge be decreein' that a wee thumbs-up emoji o'er a message can seal a contract, matey!
2023-07-26
Arrr, ye scurvy judge be sayin' that a wee thumbs up emoji be havin' the power to seal a contract, after a right ol' squabble betwixt a grain merchant and a buyer in Canada. Avast, me hearties, emojis be the new way to make deals, says the law!
Sending a thumbs-up emoji in a text message may have legal consequences, according to a recent ruling by a judge in Canada. Justice T.J. Keene stated that the simple emoji can be seen as a non-traditional way of "signing" a document, thus making it legally binding. The case involved a contract dispute between a farmer named Chris Achter and a marketing representative named Kent Mickleborough. The emoji in question was used in a text conversation where Mickleborough sent a contract to Achter for the sale of flax. Achter responded with a thumbs-up emoji, which the judge interpreted as an agreement to the terms of the contract.Achter argued that the emoji was simply confirming that he received the contract and intended to review it, not that he agreed to its terms. However, the judge disagreed and cited past business dealings between the two parties as evidence that Achter's use of the emoji was consistent with his previous conduct. The judge also considered the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which had led to a shift from in-person meetings to remote communication.
The ruling highlights the need for individuals to be cautious when using emojis in a legal or contractual context. It also reflects the changing nature of communication in the digital age and the challenges that courts may face in interpreting new forms of expression. In this case, the thumbs-up emoji was seen as a valid form of agreement, but it remains to be seen how other emojis or symbols may be interpreted in future legal disputes.