The Legal Effect of Input Errors in Automated Transactions: The South African Matrix

The Electronic Communications and Transactions Act of 2002 contain comprehensive on-line consumer protection provisions. In addition, the ECT Act offers safeguards and remedies for natural persons transacting with electronic agents. Yet, the dividing line between consumer transactions and automated transactions is spurious. More often than not, a transaction will fall within both the ambit of a consumer transaction and an automated transaction. The legal effect of keying errors differs, depending on whether one colours the transaction as a consumer transaction or an automated transaction. Until such time as the ECT Act is revamped , transactional interfaces could accommodate these overlapping and often conflicting legal provisions.