While both parties are somewhat idiots for not formalizing and following up in writing (particularly given the $ and months between the text and actions), if someone sends me something and I reply by just a thumbs up I DO expect that to convey the same thing as "yes, yep, sure thing, I agree" I would not use it as a read receipt on a question.
At the same time, I would never expect a fricking texted emoji to indicate that a contract has been read and agreed to.
Whenever I've received a contract in digital form, I've had to append some version of my name and generally initials on each page to indicate they were received and read.
With texts, I've had messages still going out while new ones were coming in, resulting in stuff being received in a weird order. It's not a reliable medium
I had to look it up, but an even older ACK equivalent would be QSL, the old radio Q-code for "message received". "Copy" and "10-4" for CB radio would be similar. I'm pretty sure those simply confirm message received.
What would be the emoji equivalent I wonder? This is kind of how I used thumbs up in text communications. If I'm about to head home from work, and my wife asks me to pick up bread on my way home, even a QSL, ACK, 10-4 or Copy heavily implies that I'm going to have a loaf of bread with me.
From the article, I can see both sides, and I get the ambiguity. The thumbs up was after some communication about buying flax, delivery dates, and prices, concluding with a picture of the contract and a request to confirm. Since the thumbs up also implies consent to a request contained in a message, I get why the ambiguity was decided the way it was.
Keene also dismissed defence concerns that allowing the thumbs up emoji to signify acceptance “would open up the flood gates” to new interpretations of other emojis, including the ‘fist bump’ and ‘hand shake’. In finding that the thumbs-up can be used to enter into contracts,
This Emoji Movie sequel got a lot more serious than I thought it would
It makes sense in context. They negotiated the contract via text messages, and then one party asked, via that same text chat, if the contract they'd drawn up form that negotiation was agreeable The other party replied with a thumbs up.
If we were texting about getting drinks, and you said "How about tomorrow night, 8pm, at the Ale House," how would you interpret me responding with "👍"?