Canadian court rules that an emoji can be considered a valid contract signature

In a groundbreaking ruling, a Canadian court has deemed a thumbs-up emoji to have the same legal validity as a traditional contract signature. The case involved a dispute between a farmer and a grain buyer in Saskatchewan.

The lawsuit was filed by South West Terminal (SWT), a company specializing in grain and crops input, against Achter Land & Cattle. SWT claimed that Achter failed to deliver 87 metric tonnes of flax, which they allegedly agreed upon through a text exchange containing a thumbs-up emoji in March 2021.

Last month, Justice T.J. Keene of the Court of King’s Bench for Saskatchewan issued a ruling stating that the two parties had indeed entered into a valid contract using the emoji. Consequently, Achter was ordered to compensate SWT with over $82,000 in damages for their failure to fulfill the flax delivery.

While acknowledging the novelty of the case, Justice Keene emphasized that the court cannot and should not resist the influence of technology and its impact on common practices. He stated, “This appears to be the new reality in Canadian society, and courts must be prepared to address the challenges that may arise from the use of emojis and similar forms of communication.”

The judge recognized that the thumbs-up emoji is an unconventional means of signing a document. However, he deemed it a valid method for both identifying the signing party and indicating their acceptance of the contract.