Mint
Mint has been declared winner of the silicon valley mud wrestling contest.
I would like to see this application released and supported by a responsible, federally insured financial institution. I’d feel a lot better about establishing a Mint customer relationship through Citi than I would through a private firm that put their eggs in the TechCrunch basket.
My perspective is informed by a quick read of the following terms and conditions governing use of the product.
9. Rights You Grant to Us
As the owner of any information, data, passwords, usernames, PINs, other log-in information, materials or other content (collectively, “Accounts Content”) you provide to us through the Service, you are licensing the Accounts Content to Mint solely for the purpose of providing the Service. Mint may use such Accounts Content, but only to provide the Service to you. By submitting Accounts Content, you represent that you are entitled to submit it to Mint for use for this purpose, without any obligation by Mint to pay any fees or other limitations.
By using the Service, you expressly authorize Mint to access your Account Information maintained by identified third parties, on your behalf as your agent. When you use the “Add Accounts” feature of the Service, you will be directly connected to the website for the third party you have identified. Mint will submit information including usernames and passwords that you provide to log you into the site. You hereby authorize and permit Mint to use information submitted by you to the Service (such as account passwords and users names) to accomplish the foregoing and to configure the Service so that it is compatible with the third party sites for which you submit your information. For purposes of this Agreement and solely to provide the Account Information to you as part of the Service, you grant Mint a limited power of attorney, and appoint Mint as your attorney-in-fact and agent, to access third party sites, retrieve and use your information with the full power and authority to do and perform each thing necessary in connection with such activities, as you could do in person. YOU ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT WHEN MINT IS ACCESSING AND RETRIEVING ACCOUNT INFORMATION FROM THIRD PARTY SITES, MINT IS ACTING AS YOUR AGENT, AND NOT AS THE AGENT OF OR ON BEHALF OF THE THIRD PARTY. You understand and agree that the Service is not sponsored or endorsed by any third parties accessible through the Service.
16. Limitations on Mint’s Liability
MINT SHALL IN NO EVENT BE RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE TO YOU OR TO ANY THIRD PARTY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, WARRANTY, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE) OR OTHERWISE, FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY, LIQUIDATED OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF PROFIT, REVENUE OR BUSINESS, ARISING IN WHOLE OR IN PART FROM YOUR ACCESS TO MINT.COM, YOUR USE OF THE SERVICE OR THIS AGREEMENT, EVEN IF MINT HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. [NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING TO THE CONTRARY IN THIS AGREEMENT, MINT’S LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ANY CAUSE WHATEVER AND REGARDLESS OF THE FORM OF THE ACTION, WILL AT ALL TIMES BE LIMITED TO $500.00 (FIVE HUNDRED UNITED STATES DOLLARS).]
17. Your Indemnification of Mint
You shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless Mint and its officers, directors, shareholders, and employees, from and against all claims and expenses, including but not limited to attorneys fees, in whole or in part arising out of or attributable to any breach of this Agreement by you.
I am not the first to raise this concern. Something from the TechCrunch comments…
