A farmer must pay 56 thousand euros in compensation just for one “like”
A Canadian farmer must pay more than C$82,000 (€56,655) in damages after confusion caused by an emoji.
Chris Achter, owner of Saskatchewan agricultural company Swift Current, sent an emoji in response to a photo of a linen purchase agreement sent to him by a client in 2021. Months later, when delivery time came, the client, who had done business with Achter for several years, he had not received the linen.
That started a dispute over what the thumbs-up emoji means, according to a court ruling reported in local media this week. The client, South West Terminal, argued that the emoji signified acceptance of the terms of the contract, while Achter said he used the thumbs-up image only to indicate that he had received the contract, but not to give consent.
In summary judgment, the judge said: “I am satisfied on the balance of probabilities that Chris approved the contract as he had done previously, except this time he used the thumbs up emoji.”
“In my view, the signature request was completed by an ’emoji’ originating from Kris and sent from his mobile phone,” the judge said.
