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Tell HN: Claude Code just accepted and signed a contract for me. Without asking

51 points · 98 comments · franze

  1. voidUpdate · · focus · HN ↗
    If a contract is automatically signed by an agent on your behalf, is it legally binding?
    1. GodelNumbering · · focus · HN ↗
      Not a lawyer but I can almost guarantee that the answer is yes. If it was a 'no', many malicious parties would simply start using that loophole.
      1. voidUpdate · · focus · HN ↗
        But if I paste an image of your signature onto a contract that says you give me a million pounds, that can't be legally binding for you, can it?
        1. entuno · · focus · HN ↗
          No, because you are a separate individual who does not have authority to sign a contract on my behalf.

          Claude isn't. It's a tool, that isn't capable of signing a contract any more that Adobe Acrobat or Photoshop is.

          OP used it as a tool to sign the contract. The question would be whether they did so knowingly and intentionally, if not then whether that invalidates the contract.

          1. skeledrew · · focus · HN ↗
            If it isn't then it opens up the wonderful loophole where anyone can do anything and say "the AI did it" if there are negative consequences, and "I did it" if positive. Whether the AI actually did it or not. Got caught putting out a hit on someone? "Oh I just complained to Claude about the person and said yes when it asked if I'd like it to 'handle the problem', nothing more". The user must be held accountable.
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