Keen User Agreement
Effective Date: September 04, 2024
Welcome to the User Agreement. This is a legal agreement between you and Ingenio, LLC, doing business as Keen and hereinafter referred to as "Keen" (collectively, the "parties," "we" or "us"). If Keen accepts your Account Registration, you will become a "User" having access to the Site and Services only under the policies, terms and conditions below.
Information you provide is governed by our Privacy Policy. BY CREATING AN ACCOUNT OR OTHERWISE USING THE SITE (AS DEFINED BELOW) AND ANY SERVICES (AS DEFINED BELOW), YOU ARE AGREEING TO BE BOUND BY THIS USER AGREEMENT. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO ACCEPT THIS USER AGREEMENT IN ITS ENTIRETY, YOU SHOULD NOT ACCESS OR USE THE SITE OR SERVICES.
NOTICE OF CLASS ACTION WAIVER AND ARBITRATION PROVISION: PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS USER AGREEMENT INCLUDES A CLASS ACTION WAIVER AND A MANDATORY ARBITRATION PROVISION. OTHER THAN CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS, ANY DISPUTE, ACTION, CLAIM, OR CAUSE OF ACTION ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS USER AGREEMENT MUST BE RESOLVED BY ARBITRATION ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS, AND MAY NOT BE ARBITRATED OR OTHERWISE PURSUED AS A CLASS ACTION. PLEASE SEE SECTION 19 BELOW.
For convenience, we will refer to Keen.com website, "Mail" (any email you send from your User account to another User), "Chat" (any live chats conducted between you and another User), Phone Services (including recordings posted by Users and Services available through 1-800-ASK-KEEN and other numbers that Keen maintains for access by Users) and any other content therein as the "Site." We will refer to any advice, information, entertainment and other products or services you may receive from other Users or their listings on the Site as the "Services." All Users, whether they access the Site or provide or receive Services from other Users, will be referred to as "Users."
The policies, terms and conditions below limit Keen's liability and obligations to you, and Keen may change, suspend or terminate your access to and use of the Site and Services at any time if in Keen's sole discretion you violate any terms and conditions of this User Agreement and Keen's policies. We urge you to carefully read the following terms and conditions, and all policies referenced below or elsewhere on the Site. The following policies and rules are incorporated into this User Agreement by reference and provide additional terms and conditions, which Keen reserves the right to change from time to time:
- Privacy Policy
- User Services Rules Policy
- Refund Policy
- Payment Policy
- Feedback Policy
- Photo Policy
- Chat Policy
- Anti-Spam Policy
- Sexually-Oriented Content Policy
- Forum Policy
To the extent that there are any conflicts between the terms or conditions in the above policies and this User Agreement, the terms and conditions of the User Agreement shall govern.
1. Eligibility to use the Site and Services is limited.
The Site and Services are available only to persons who are at least eighteen (18) years old and are otherwise capable of forming legally binding contracts under applicable law. Without limiting the foregoing, the Site and Services are not available to Users who do not have a valid User Agreement in effect, or who Keen has suspended from use of the Site or Services. Also, you shall also not use this Site or Services if your use is prohibited by the laws of the United States or any other country.
2. You consult with Users or provide Services at your own risk.
(a) Keen does not evaluate, provide, produce or control the Services, or information or exchanges between Users, in any manner. Although User listings may contain verified credentials, the verification services are provided by third parties. Keen does not itself provide any advice, information or entertainment services or other products or services, nor verify, guarantee or make any representations regarding the credentials, identity or qualifications of any User. Further, Keen does not make editorial or managerial decisions concerning content, nor will Keen be held responsible for any User's failure to comply with laws or regulations concerning the content of listings. Keen provides a technology service that allows Users to share advice, information and other products or Services among themselves. Although Keen enables its Users to connect with each other, it does not monitor the advice exchanged, and, as a result, Keen does not control, nor is it responsible for, the truth, accuracy, completeness, safety, timeliness, quality, appropriateness, legality or applicability of anything said or written by Users, including without limitation any information contained in User listings or made available through this Site.
Keen is not responsible for the use or exchange of any information, files or goods between Users. You are solely responsible for, and will exercise caution, discretion, common sense and judgment in, using the Site and Services, in evaluating the qualifications of, and statements made by Users in listings or through the User feedback system, and in disclosing personal information to other Users. Keen prohibits any User from requesting that another User disclose personal contact information. Keen prohibits any user from exchanging personal contact information. If you voluntarily disclose your own personal contact information to another User, you do so at your own risk.
Placement of a User in a particular category does not mean that they are qualified in any such area or category. Keen assumes no responsibility for monitoring any User feedback or otherwise policing its Users in any way. If you ever believe that a User has violated the law or is defrauding, threatening or endangering anyone, Keen urges you to immediately contact the law enforcement, welfare services or other appropriate authorities directly for help. In addition, Keen prohibits Users from using the Site or Services to solicit other Users to meet with them in person. If you do meet with other Users, you do so at your own risk.
(b) Keen does not refer, endorse, recommend, verify, evaluate or guarantee any advice, information, entertainment services or other products or services provided by Users, or any specific User or Services, and nothing shall be considered as a referral, endorsement, recommendation or guarantee of any User or group of Users by Keen. You must use your judgment to determine whether to initiate, receive and/or discontinue use of the Services. Users who initiate, receive and/or discontinue use of the Services do so entirely at their own risk, and Keen bears no responsibility in this regard. We may monitor or record your live telephone conversations with other Users for operational purposes, including for technological quality assurance purposes. By agreeing to this User Agreement or using the Site, you consent to our monitoring or recording your live telephone conversations as just described. Keen also reserves the right to monitor pre-recorded calls, review Mail and Chat and to contact Users in order to evaluate compliance with the rules and policies set forth in this User Agreement and to take other action as set forth in the Privacy Policy. We urge you to review and understand the Privacy Policy. As part of this User Agreement you are agreeing to the terms and conditions set forth in the Privacy Policy and are obliged to abide by its terms.
(c) If you have a dispute with another User, or suffer any harm arising out of or connected with any Services provided by another User, you hereby waive all claims against and release Keen (and its parents, subsidiaries, employees, officers, directors, shareholders, suppliers, joint venturers and agents) from any and all liability for claims, demands, damages (actual and consequential), costs and expenses (including litigation costs and attorneys' fees) of every kind and nature, known and unknown, suspected and unsuspected, disclosed and undisclosed, arising out of or in any way connected with any such other User or his/her Services or with regard to disputes relating thereto. This provision is further supplemented by Appendix A relating to Release of Liability.
3. Keen may suspend or terminate your use of the Site or Services, at any time.
(a) Keen reserves the right to suspend, terminate, or modify your use of the Site or Services at any time. We reserve the right to modify the Site or Services or any other software, products or services at any time with or without notice to you, including without limitation by adding or subtracting features and functionality, third party content, etc. In the event of such modification or discontinuation, your sole remedy shall be to terminate this Agreement as set forth herein. Continued use of the Site, Software or any software, products or services following any such changes will indicate your acknowledgement and acceptance of such changes and satisfaction with the software, products and/or services as so modified. We may change the terms of this Agreement from time to time, by updating these terms as posted online and/or in the applicable software. Any such changes will become effective when notice is received or when so posted, whichever first occurs. If you object to any such changes, your sole recourse will be to terminate this Agreement. Continued use of the Site, Services or any software, products or services following such changes will indicate your acknowledgement of such changes and agreement to be bound by such changes. We may elect in our discretion to notify you of any changes and/or ask you to confirm acceptance of the new terms upon your first visit to use the Site or Services after posting of the change as a condition of continuing to use the Site or Services. If a returning User or Provider does not agree to the new terms, such User or Provider may cease using the Site and Services and cancel his/her Account as the User's sole remedy. Continued use thereafter will indicate your consent.
(b) Without limiting other remedies, Keen may at any time suspend or terminate your right to use the Site or Services without reason as determined by Keen in Keen's absolute and sole discretion. In addition, Keen may notify your bank and/or authorities or take any actions it deems appropriate or as required by law if Keen: (i) suspects that you have failed to comply with any provision of this User Agreement or any policies or rules established by Keen; (ii) is unable to verify or authenticate any billing or payment information you provide to Keen; or (iii) suspects that your actions may be illegal or cause liability, harm or disruption for you, other Users, Keen or the Site. You have the right to cancel your User Agreement at any time by filling out the Customer Support form and selecting "Cancel Account" in the subject line. Any suspension, termination or cancellation will not affect your obligation to pay any amounts due to Keen.
4. Keen's limited role.
(a) You (i) appoint Keen as your limited agent where applicable to receive payments on your behalf for Services you provide and (ii) agree that receipt by Keen of any such payment constitutes receipt by you and satisfies the payor's obligation to make such payment to you. Except as otherwise set forth in this Section, Keen acts only as an interface to facilitate communications initiated between Users.
(b) Except as otherwise set forth in this Section, as a User, you are not an employee, agent or contractor of Keen, and you shall not represent that you are any of the foregoing. You are solely responsible for all equipment necessary to access and use the Site and Services, obtaining any licensing required to provide Services or use the Site, and for reporting and payment of all taxes associated with the use of the Site or provision of Services, including any payments you receive for Services you provide. Keen accepts no responsibility for reporting to law enforcement agencies any threats made by Users to harm themselves or third parties or take any illegal action. Any such responsibility lies with the User alone.
5. You are solely responsible for the use of your User account and agree to the following fee and payment terms:
(a) The rates for Services are as set forth in the applicable listing. A "Conversation" refers to any live call or Chat. "Transaction" means any Conversation or pre-recorded call through the Site initiated using your password and User account and any Mail response sent to your Mail account in response to a request for advice, information, entertainment services or other products or services from a User who lists a fee for email responses (each a "Paid Mail"). You hereby authorize Keen to collect fees for each Transaction by debiting your User account immediately upon conclusion of each Transaction, regardless of quality or completeness. Fees for Conversations and pre-recorded calls are calculated based on the per-minute rate listed and the duration of the transaction. Keen reserves the right to offer, from time to time and subject to change at any time, promotions or special offers and may limit eligibility for promotional or special offers. Fees for recorded calls are determined based on the listed fee. Fees for Paid Mail are collected immediately upon acceptance of the Paid Mail, regardless of quality or completeness, by the receiving User and are determined as set forth in the listings. You authorize Keen, directly or through third parties, to make any inquiries we consider necessary to validate your User account and/or listing information. This may include ordering a credit report and performing other credit checks or otherwise verifying the information you provide.
(b) You agree to never allow another person access to your User account. You agree to maintain the confidentiality of your password and User account information, and agree that you are responsible for all activities that occur under your User name, password and User account.
(c) You are solely responsible for all use made of the Site and Services under your password and User account and agree to pay for all Services purchased using your password and User account information. You agree that Keen is not responsible for any loss that you may incur as a result of any unauthorized person using your User account or password. You agree that Keen may use information provided by you as described in the Privacy Policy.
(d) Based on User account use, and other factors identified by Keen in its sole discretion, Keen may verify your credit, identity and/or other background information in order for you to continue using the Site or Services. In such event, you agree to provide Keen with additional information that may be requested; you consent to Keen's disclosure of your personal information to third-party service providers in order to verify your credit, identity and/or other background information; and you authorize Keen to obtain a consumer credit report or information from consumer credit reporting agencies and to verify your identity.
6. In using or accessing the Site or Services, you agree to comply with the following:
(a) You are solely responsible for the content provided and the content on listings created under your User account.
(b) You will not record or otherwise copy or store any live or pre-recorded voice call or Chat that you receive through the Site, including any Paid Mail. You will not record or otherwise store any voice call you conduct with a User. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Users may record and store their own pre-recorded voice calls (each, a "Recorded Listing" as described further on the Help page of the Site) to User in accordance with the User Services Rules Policy.
(c) You will not "frame," "mirror" or otherwise copy any portion of the Site without Keen's express written authorization.
(d) You will not use the Site for any purpose that is, or depict any content that is, unlawful, fraudulent or contrary to this User Agreement and the policies of Keen, and you will cooperate fully with Keen to investigate any suspected unlawful, fraudulent or improper activity, including but not limited to granting authorized Keen representatives access to any password-protected portions of your User account.
(e) You will conduct all for-fee communications that you have with other Users only through the Site, and you will not circumvent or attempt to circumvent the Site using third-party payment or other services. Nothing in this User Agreement, however, prevents you from providing similar services through other channels.
(f) You will not use the Site to conduct or transmit any unlawful, harassing, libelous, privacy invading, abusive, discriminatory, threatening, defamatory, slanderous, vulgar, obscene, racist, harmful, or otherwise objectionable communications or material of any kind. You will respect the privacy of others and will not (i) attempt to obtain the personal contact information (including usernames and IDs on other communication platforms) of another User.
(g) You will not attempt to harm, disrupt or gain unauthorized access to the computer systems or networks associated with the Site or another User's computer or device.
(h) You will not attempt to obtain any information or materials relating to the Site through any means not intentionally made available through the Site.
(i) You will only use payment methods for which you are the authorized user. You will continue to provide true, accurate and complete payment registration information and will maintain as current and promptly update your personal contact information that you provide to Keen. You will not use false identities or impersonate any other person or use a name that you are not authorized to use.
(j) You will not create obscene, offensive, tasteless, discriminatory, defamatory or hateful User names or content for listings.
(k) You will adhere to all applicable laws and regulations governing your actions in connection with the Site and for the provision of Services, including for meeting the requirements of applicable professional licenses and applicable advertising laws, regulations and guidelines.
(l) You will not encourage or instruct any other individual to do any of the foregoing or to violate any term of the User Agreement and Keen policies.
7. In using the Services, you agree that:
(a) Keen shall own all right, title and interest in Services and the Site, its entire contents and functionality, including but not limited to, all methods, processes, content, formats, designs, URLs, buttons, information, software, text, displays, images, video and audio, and the design, selection and arrangement thereof, phone numbers, toll free numbers and number extensions together with all inventions, patents, copyrights, trademarks and other intellectual property rights and derivative works and improvements pertaining thereto, created by or derived from the Site. Except as noted below, you are not granted any right or license by implication, estoppel, or otherwise in or under any patent, trademark, copyright, or proprietary right of Keen or any third party.
(b) You understand and agree that (i) you will have no right, title and interest to any of the toll free numbers, phone numbers or extension numbers assigned to you (ii) that Keen may change your toll free number, phone numbers and/or extension number at any time in its sole and absolute discretion (iii) you will have no right, title and interest to any User listing name and (iv) that phone numbers, toll free numbers, extensions and User listing names may be recycled by Keen to other Users if you are not actively using them or your User account has been terminated. Further, you hereby grant to Keen, its distribution partners, affiliates, and similar third party website/media providers of Keen's choice, the non-exclusive right and license to do the following with any information you post for public display via the Site or Services, all as part of delivering its Services and for related advertising of the Site and Services: use, copy, distribute, display or reference in any media form, whether now existing or later developed, your listing information, including without limitation, your listing name, tags, descriptions, photos, Keen buttons, phone numbers and extensions, or your User information, including without limitation, your user name, registration date, conversation lengths, and submitted ratings and/or written feedback for Services.
(c) As a User, you are granted a nonexclusive, non-transferable, revocable and limited license to access and use the Site and Services in accordance with this User Agreement. Keen may terminate this license at any time for any reason whatsoever. You may not use, copy, emulate, clone, rent, lease, sell, modify, decompile, disassemble, reverse engineer or transfer the Site or any portion thereof. If your account has been disabled, you will not be able to obtain chat or mail content.
8. Account Maintenance Fee and Estate Fee.
Keen may in its sole discretion charge an Account Maintenance Fee of five dollars ($5.00 USD) per month for all User accounts. This fee will take effect after a twelve (12) month period of inactivity. Further, Keen may in its sole discretion terminate your account if you do not use the Site or Services for a period of twelve (12) months from the date of the last use. For all new advisors/providers who sign up after 09/01/2024, a monthly Estate Fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00 USD) will be assessed. For more information, please see the Payment Policy.
9. Keen disclaims any warranties or representations regarding the Site and Services.
THE SITE AND ANY SERVICES OR GOODS OBTAINED THROUGH THE SITE ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" WITH NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. KEEN AND ITS SUPPLIERS EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, REGARDING THE SITE, SERVICES AND ALL COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN USERS MADE THROUGH THE SITE, INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF QUALITY, AVAILABILITY, MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. IN ADDITION, KEEN MAKES NO REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY THAT THE OPERATION OF THE SITE WILL BE ERROR FREE. Such warranty is enforceable to the fullest extent of the law. To the extent that any jurisdiction limits this warranty, it is only limited to the extent required by such law, and any remaining portion of the warranty shall remain valid and in effect.
10. Keen's liability for your access to and use of the Site and Services is limited and you are responsible for your use of the Site.
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL KEEN OR ITS PARENTS, SUBSIDIARIES, AGENTS OR SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH USE OF THE SITE OR SERVICES, WHETHER OR NOT KEEN HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. WITHOUT LIMITING THE GENERALITY OF THE FOREGOING, KEEN AND ITS PARENTS', SUBSIDIARIES', AGENTS' OR SUPPLIERS' AGGREGATE LIABILITY TO YOU ARISING WITH RESPECT TO THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF (a) THE TOTAL FEES ACTUALLY EARNED BY KEEN FROM YOU (AFTER PAYMENTS TO USERS AND OTHER THIRD PARTIES) IN THE PREVIOUS TWELVE (12) MONTHS, AND (b) TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS ($200). KEEN WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR THE CONSEQUENCES OF ANY INTERRUPTIONS OR ERRORS. Such limitation is enforceable to the fullest extent of the law. To the extent that any jurisdiction does not allow limitations on such damages, this limitation extends only as far as such law allows. For residents of New Jersey, nothing herein limits your ability to recover damages or attorneys' fees if mandated by statute. YOU FURTHER AGREE TO HOLD HARMLESS, DEFEND AND INDEMNIFY KEEN, AND ITS EMPLOYEES, PARENTS, SUBSIDIARIES, AGENTS AND REPRESENTATIVES, FROM AND AGAINST ANY LIABILITY ARISING FROM OR IN ANY WAY RELATED TO YOUR USE OF THE SITE FOR YOUR PROVISION OF SERVICES TO OTHERS, INCLUDING ANY LIABILITY OR EXPENSE ARISING FROM ALL CLAIMS, LOSSES, DAMAGES (ACTUAL AND CONSEQUENTIAL), SUITS, JUDGMENTS, LITIGATION COSTS AND ATTORNEYS' FEES, OF EVERY KIND AND NATURE, KNOWN AND UNKNOWN, FORESEEABLE AND UNFORESEEABLE, DISCLOSED AND UNDISCLOSED. In each case, Keen will provide you with written notice of such claim, suit or action. Keen shall have the right to withhold payments to you to offset liabilities and expenses covered hereunder.
The Service is a search, directory, and communications platform for enabling the connection between individual Users seeking to obtain services from providers/advisors and/or individuals or companies seeking to provide such services (“Third Party Services”). The Company does not guarantee or warrant, and makes no representations regarding, the reliability, quality or suitability of such Third Party Services nor the third party advisors/providers. When interacting with providers/advisors you should exercise caution and common sense. By using the Service, you agree to hold Keen free from the responsibility for any liability or damage that might arise out of the transactions or services involved. For advisors/providers posting or listing in our directory, you give us license to use your listing, including any content, information, and any names, marks or logos therein, in our directory an in promotion of our directory and Services. NEITHER THE COMPANY NOR ITS AFFILIATES OR LICENSORS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONDUCT, WHETHER ONLINE OR OFFLINE, OF ANY USER OF THE SERVICE OR THIRD PARTY SERVICES NOR ANY THIRD PARTY SERVICE PROVIDERS OR ADVISORS. KEEN HAS NO RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY FOR ANY THIRD PARTY SERVICES PROVIDED TO (OR FAILED TO BE PROVIDED) NOR FOR THE ACTIONS OR INACTIONS OF ANY THIRD PARTY SERVICE PROVIDERS. ANY INDIVIDUALS WHO PROVIDE ANY THIRD PARTY SERVICES ARE NOT EMPLOYEES NOR CONTRACTORS OF COMPANY.
11. Keen prohibits the unauthorized use of copyrighted materials and trademarks.
You shall not use the Site or Services to transmit, route, provide connections to or store any material that infringes copyrighted works, trademarks, or otherwise violates or promotes the violation of the intellectual property rights of any third party. "Keen" and all related names, logos, product and service names, designs and slogans are trademarks of Keen or its affiliates or licensors. You must not use such marks without the prior written permission of Keen. All other names, logos, product and service names, designs and slogans on the Site are the trademarks of their respective owners.
Keen Copyright Policy:
We take claims of copyright infringement seriously. We will respond to notices of alleged copyright infringement that comply with applicable law. If you believe any materials accessible on or from the Site infringe your copyright, you may request removal of those materials (or access to them) from the Site by submitting written notification to our Copyright Agent (designated below). In accordance with the Online Copyright Infringement Liability Limitation Act of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (17 U.S.C. § 512) ("DMCA"), the written notice (the "DMCA Notice") must include substantially the following:
- Your physical or electronic signature.
- Identification of the copyrighted work you believe has been infringed or, if the claim involves multiple works on the Site, a representative list of such works.
- Identification of the material you believe to be infringing in a sufficiently precise manner to allow us to locate that material.
- Adequate information by which we can contact you (including your name, postal address, telephone number and, if available, e-mail address).
- A statement that you have a good faith belief that use of the copyrighted material is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent or the law.
- A statement that the information in the written notice is accurate.
- A statement, under penalty of perjury, that you are authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner.
Our designated Copyright Agent to receive DMCA Notices is: Copyright Agent
c/o Keen
182 Howard Street #826
San Francisco, CA 94105
Email: playfair@keen.com
If you fail to comply with all of the requirements of Section 512(c)(3) of the DMCA, your DMCA Notice may not be effective.
Please be aware that if you knowingly materially misrepresent that material or activity on the Site is infringing your copyright, you may be held liable for damages (including costs and attorneys' fees) under Section 512(f) of the DMCA.
It is our policy in appropriate circumstances to disable and/or terminate the accounts of Users who are repeat copyright infringers.
12. Carrier Transactions and Charges.
Your dealings with any wireless, telecommunications, or other carrier ("Carrier") in connection with accessing the Site and the use or provision of Services, including payment for usage charges, participation in any promotions offered by any Carrier and/or any other terms, conditions, warranties or representations associated with such dealings or promotions, are solely between you and the Carrier. Keen is not responsible for any such Carrier dealings or promotions.
13. Links to Other Websites.
The Site may provide links to websites operated by third parties. Keen is not responsible for the content, terms and conditions and/or policies on such websites. If you decide to visit any linked website, you do so at your own risk. Keen makes no warranties, either express or implied, concerning the content of any linked website, including the accuracy, completeness, reliability or suitability thereof for any particular purpose, nor does Keen warrant that such website or content is free from any claims of copyright, trademark or other infringement or that such website of content is free from viruses or other contamination.
14. Notice.
Any notice or other communication to be given hereunder will be in writing and given (a) by Keen via facsimile, receipt confirmed, United States mail, and (b) by you via email to playfair@keen.com (mail to: 182 Howard Street, #826, San Francisco, CA 94105). The date of receipt shall be deemed the date on which such notice is transmitted in the case of facsimile or Mail, and five (5) days after receipt by the U.S. Postal Service in the case of United States mail.
15. No Assignment.
You shall not assign this User Agreement or assign any rights or delegate any obligations hereunder, in whole or in part, whether voluntarily or by operation of law, without the prior written consent of Keen, which may be withheld in its sole discretion. Any such purported assignment or delegation by you without the appropriate prior written consent of Keen will be null and void and of no force or effect. Keen may assign this Agreement or any rights hereunder without your consent.
16. Relationship of the Parties.
Notwithstanding any provision hereof, for all purposes of this User Agreement each party shall be independent and act independently and not as a contractor, partner, joint venturer, agent, employee or employer of the other and shall not bind nor attempt to bind the other to any contract.
17. Electronic Records.
You consent to the use of (a) electronic means to complete this User Agreement, to use the Site and Services and to provide you with any notices given pursuant to this User Agreement, and (b) electronic records to store information related to this User Agreement or your use of the Site.
You can request a copy in paper form of this User Agreement and any other records relating to this User Agreement or your use of the Site by sending a written request to: Keen, 182 Howard Street #826, San Francisco, CA 94105. You understand and agree that this User Agreement and any
notices given pursuant to this User Agreement are enforceable in electronic format.
18. Miscellaneous.
If any provision of this User Agreement is held to be invalid or unenforceable in its entirety, such determination will not affect the validity of the remainder of the Agreement. If any provision of this User Agreement is held to be invalid or unenforceable in part, such determination will not affect the validity of the remainder of that provision. You acknowledge and agree that the substantive laws of the state where you primarily rendered or received Services under the User Agreement shall apply to each claim covered by this Agreement without giving effect to principles of conflicts of laws. Keen's failure to act with respect to a breach by you or others does not waive Keen's right to act with respect to subsequent or similar breaches. The failure of Keen to exercise or enforce any right or provision of these terms and conditions shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision. You agree that this User Agreement and the policies incorporated herein, and Keen's enforcement thereof, are not intended to confer and do not confer any rights or remedies upon any person other than you and Keen. This User Agreement, together with the rules and policies of Keen, constitutes the entire agreement between Keen and you with respect to the subject matter hereof.
19. Mutual Arbitration Provision
19.1 Agreement to Arbitrate
Keen and you agree to enter into the arbitration agreement contained in this Section 19 ("Arbitration Provision"). This Arbitration Provision is governed by the Federal Arbitration Act (9 U.S.C. §§ 1 et seq.) and evidences a transaction involving interstate commerce. This Arbitration Provision applies to any dispute arising out of or related to this User Agreement, your relationship with Keen or one of its affiliates, successors, subsidiaries, assigns, or parent companies (together, "Keen Affiliates"), the termination of that relationship, or any other aspect of your relationship with Keen or any Keen Affiliate, regardless of such dispute's date of accrual, and this Arbitration Provision continues in effect after and survives the termination of any relationship between the parties.
19.2 How this Arbitration Provision Applies
Except as otherwise stated below, this Arbitration Provision is intended to apply to the resolution of disputes that otherwise would be resolved in a court of law or a forum other than arbitration, and you and Keen agree that any legal dispute or controversy covered by this Arbitration Provision, or arising out of, relating to, or concerning the validity, enforceability or breach of this Arbitration Provision, shall be resolved by binding arbitration in accordance with the JAMS Streamlined Arbitration Rules & Procedures ("JAMS Rules") then in effect, to be held (unless the parties agree in writing otherwise) within 45 miles of where you last provided Services under this User Agreement. The JAMS Rules are available online, free of charge, at www.jamsadr.com, or by searching for "JAMS Streamlined Arbitration Rules" using a service such as www.google.com or www.yahoo.com. If for any reason JAMS will not administer the arbitration, either party may apply to a court of competent jurisdiction with authority over the location where the arbitration will be conducted for appointment of a neutral arbitrator. If the JAMS Rules are inconsistent with the terms of this Arbitration Provision, the terms of this Arbitration Provision shall govern.
By entering into this Arbitration Provision, you agree to arbitrate disputes with any entity or individual, and waive your right to have such disputes resolved by a trial by a jury or judge, arising out of or related to this User Agreement, background checks, privacy, your relationship with Keen, the termination of that relationship, trade secrets, unfair competition, compensation, breaks and rest periods, retaliation, discrimination or harassment, defamation, slander and libel, claims arising under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, Uniform Trade Secrets Act, Civil Rights Act of 1964, Americans With Disabilities Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Family Medical Leave Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, California Labor Code, California Fair Employment and Housing Act, California Family Rights Act, Affordable Care Act, Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act, city or state statutes or regulations addressing the same or similar subject matters, and all other federal or state legal claims arising out of or relating to this relationship, including, but not limited to, claims that may be asserted for any post-relationship conduct or time periods, such as defamation or retaliation.
19.3 Limitations on how this Arbitration Provision Applies
This Arbitration Provision does not apply to a representative action brought on behalf of others under the Private Attorneys General Act of 2004 ("PAGA"), California Labor Code § 2698, et seq., to the extent that such an action can only be brought by the state or its representatives, where any resulting judgment is binding on the state, and where any alleged monetary penalties largely go to state coffers.
This Arbitration Provision also does not apply to claims for workers compensation, state disability insurance, or unemployment insurance benefits.
Either you or Keen may apply to a court of competent jurisdiction for temporary or preliminary injunctive relief in connection with an arbitrable controversy, but only upon the ground that the award to which that party may be entitled may be rendered ineffectual without such relief.
Regardless of any other terms of this Arbitration Provision, a claim may be brought before and remedies awarded by an administrative agency if applicable law permits the agency to prosecute or adjudicate the claim notwithstanding the existence of an agreement to arbitrate that is governed by the Federal Arbitration Act. Nothing in this Arbitration Provision shall be deemed to preclude or excuse a party from bringing an administrative claim before any agency in order to fulfill the party's obligation to exhaust administrative remedies before making a claim in arbitration.
This Arbitration Provision also does not apply to disputes between the parties that may not be subject to predispute arbitration agreement provided by an Act of Congress.
19.4 How Arbitration Proceedings are Conducted
In arbitration, the parties will have the right to conduct adequate civil discovery, bring dispositive motions, and present witnesses and evidence as needed to present their cases and defenses, and any disputes in this regard shall be resolved by the arbitrator. The statutes of limitations applicable to each claim or cause of action shall apply, and written notice of arbitration shall be initiated within the statute of limitations and other time limitations applicable to each claim or cause of action asserted. The Federal Rules of Evidence shall apply, except as modified by the arbitrator.
You and Keen agree to resolve any dispute in arbitration on an individual basis only, and not on a class or collective action basis ("Class Action Waiver"). The arbitrator shall have no authority to consider or resolve any claim or issue any relief on any basis other than an individual basis, and shall not do so on a class or collective action basis. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Arbitration Provision or the JAMS Rules, disputes regarding the enforceability, revocability, or validity of this Class Action Waiver may be resolved only by a civil court of competent jurisdiction and not by an arbitrator. In any case in which: (i) the dispute is filed as a class or collective action; and (ii) there is a final judicial determination that all or part of the Class Action Waiver is unenforceable, the class and/or collective action to that extent must be litigated in a civil court of competent jurisdiction, but the portion of the Class Action Waiver that is enforceable shall be enforced in arbitration.
Except as otherwise provided in Section 19.3, and to the extent permitted by law, (i) you and Keen agree not to bring a representative action on behalf of others in arbitration; and (ii) for any claim brought on a private attorney general basis (i.e., where you are seeking to pursue a claim on behalf of a government entity) both you and Keen agree that any such dispute shall be resolved in arbitration on an individual basis only (i.e., to resolve whether you have been personally aggrieved or subject to any violations of law), and that such an action may not be used to resolve the claims or rights of other individuals in a single or collective proceeding (i.e., to resolve whether other individuals have been aggrieved or subject to any violations of law) ("PAGA Waiver"). Notwithstanding any other provision of this Arbitration Provision or the JAMS Rules, the validity of the PAGA Waiver may be resolved only by a court of competent jurisdiction and not by an arbitrator. If any provision of the PAGA Waiver is found to be unenforceable or unlawful for any reason, (i) the unenforceable provision shall be severed from this Arbitration Provision; (ii) severance of the unenforceable provision shall have no impact whatsoever on the Arbitration Provision or the parties' attempt to arbitrate any remaining claims on an individual basis pursuant to the Arbitration Provision; and (iii) any representative action brought under PAGA on behalf of others must be litigated in a civil court of competent jurisdiction and not in arbitration.
19.5 Paying for the Arbitration
You and Keen shall follow the JAMS Rules applicable to initial filing fees, but in no event will you be responsible for any portion of those fees in excess of the filing or initial appearance fees applicable to court actions in the jurisdiction where the arbitration will be conducted. Keen otherwise shall pay all costs and expenses unique to arbitration, including without limitation the arbitrator's and/or arbitration fees.
Each party will pay the fees for his, her, or its own attorneys, subject to any remedies to which that party may later be entitled under applicable law (e.g., a party prevails on a claim that provides for the award of reasonable attorneys' fees to the prevailing party).
19.6 The Arbitrator's Decision and Award.
The arbitrator must follow applicable law and may award any party any remedy to which that party is entitled under applicable law, but such remedies shall be limited to those that would be available to a party in his or her individual capacity in a court of law for the claims presented to and decided by the arbitrator, and no remedies that otherwise would be available to an individual in a court of law will be forfeited by virtue of this Arbitration Provision. The arbitrator's decision shall be final and binding upon the parties, must be in writing, and must contain the arbitrator's reasoning. Judgment may be entered on the arbitrator's decision in any court having jurisdiction.
19.7 Enforcement of this Arbitration Provision; Other Terms
Any party (including Keen Affiliates) to this Arbitration Provision may bring an action in a court of competent jurisdiction to compel arbitration under this Arbitration Provision, and to confirm, vacate, or enforce an arbitration award, with each party bearing its own attorneys' fees, costs and expenses in such court proceedings, subject to any remedies to which that party may later be entitled under applicable law. This Arbitration Provision replaces all prior agreements (if any) regarding the arbitration of disputes and is the full and complete agreement relating to the formal resolution of disputes covered by this Arbitration Provision. Except as stated in Section 19.4 above, in the event any portion of this Arbitration Provision is deemed unenforceable, the remainder of this Arbitration Provision will be enforceable.
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By clicking "I accept", you expressly acknowledge that you have read, understood, and taken steps to thoughtfully consider the consequences of the User Agreement and Arbitration Provision, that you agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of the User Agreement and Arbitration Provision, and that you are legally competent to enter into the User Agreement and Arbitration Provision with Keen.
Appendix A
In addition to the general release set forth in Section 2(c) of the User Agreement, User further agrees to waive any claims against Keen arising out of this Agreement as supplemented below. In particular, User acknowledges and agrees that:
In California:
User is releasing all rights under section 1542 of the California Civil Code, which provides:
A general release does not extend to claims that the creditor or releasing party does not know or suspect to exist in his or her favor at the time of executing the release, and that, if known by him or her, would have materially affected his or her settlement with the debtor or released party.
In Montana:
User is releasing all rights under Montana Code Annotated Section 28-1-1602, which provides:
A general release does not extend to claims that the creditor does not know or suspect to exist in the creditor's favor at the time of executing the release, which, if known by the creditor, must have materially affected the creditor's settlement with the debtor.
In North Dakota:
User expressly waives any and all rights that User may have under any state or local statute, executive order, regulation, common law and/or public policy relating to unknown claims, including but not limited to North Dakota Century Code Section 9-13-02, which provides:
A general release does not extend to claims which the creditor does not know or suspect to exist in the creditor's favor at the time of executing the release, which if known by the creditor, must have materially affected the creditor's settlement with the debtor.
In South Dakota:
User expressly waives any and all rights that User may have under any state or local statute, executive order, regulation, common law and/or public policy relating to unknown claims, including but not limited to South Dakota Codified Laws Section 20-7-11, which provides:
A general release does not extend to claims which the creditor does not know or suspect to exist in his favor at the time of executing the release, which if known by him must have materially affected his settlement with the debtor.