Methods of Concluding Electronic Contracts

Abstract

Today, information technology has made it possible for many commercial transactions, exchanges, and service provisions to be conducted via the Internet. The widespread nature of these transactional and commercial relationships among individuals within society and at the international level is sometimes accompanied by legal issues concerning the rules governing contractual relationships, including contract interpretation and the applicable legal framework. The electronic environment of the Internet is considered one of the most modern means for concluding contracts and fulfilling the obligations arising from them, particularly in the realm of commercial transactions. The nature of electronic contracts in terms of their validity, form, and conformity with the general rules and regulations of civil law concerning contracts is a subject of discussion, as understanding and analyzing the legal relationships and consequences arising from them depend on the structural characteristics of the electronic environment and the recognized concepts of communication technology in this field. In principle, electronic contracts do not have a fundamentally different nature from traditional contracts. However, the structural characteristics of the electronic environment have introduced new features and concepts into this type of contract. Given this aspect, it can be stated that the structural framework and technical characteristics of the electronic environment have brought about a modern and extensive transformation in various dimensions of contract law, which has the potential to influence the prevailing concepts regarding the methods of contract formation.