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How a Thumbs-Up Emoji Cost a Canadian Farmer $82,000

A Saskatchewan judge recently ruled that the single emoji indicated an $82,000 contractual agreement.

Two years ago, Canadian farmer Chris Achter sent the most expensive emoji of his life—one that represented his official agreement to an $82,000 contractual agreement, at least according to a Saskatchewan judge. It all started in March of 2021, when grain customer Kent Mickleborough asked Achter to buy 86 metric tons of flax for $17 a bushel. He texted Achter a photo of a contract to deliver the product in the fall, adding, “please confirm flax contract.” Achter’s response was simple: “👍” But when fall came, the order wasn’t delivered, and the price for flax had increased. That’s when Mickleborough took Achter to court, claiming that the thumbs-up emoji represented a digital signature to the contract. “I deny that he accepted the thumbs-up emoji as a digital signature of the incomplete contract,” Achter said in an affidavit to court. “I did not have time to review the Flax Contract and merely wanted to indicate that I did receive his text message.” Ultimately, the judge disagreed. Achter was ordered to pay $82,200.21, plus interest.