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Criticism of AOL

AOL Inc.
Formerly called
Control Video Corporation (1983–85)
Quantum Computer Services (1985–91)
America Online (1991–2009)
Subsidiary
Founded 1983; 34 years ago (1983) (as Control Video Corporation)
2009 (as AOL Inc.)
Founders
Headquarters 770 Broadway
New York, NY 10003
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Tim Armstrong
(CEO)
Services Web portal and online services
Owner Verizon
Number of employees
5,600
Parent Independent
(1983-2000, 2006-2015)
(AOL) Time Warner
(2000–2006)
Verizon Communications (2015–2017)
Oath Inc. (2017–present)
Website aol.com
AOL Desktop
Developer(s) AOL
Stable release
9.8(Windows)
1.7 (macOS) / August 10, 2015
Preview release
11.0.522 / July 11, 2016
Written in C++
Operating system Microsoft Windows XP or later, Mac OS X 10.4.8 or later
Type Internet Suite
License Proprietary
Website daol.aol.com/software/desktop

(As Control Video Corporation)

AOL (formerly a company known as AOL Inc., originally known as America Online, and stylized as Aol.) is a web portal and online service provider based in New York. It is a brand marketed by Oath, a subsidiary of Verizon Communications. AOL was one of the early pioneers of the Internet in the mid-1990s, and the most recognized brand on the web in the U.S. It originally provided a dial-up service to millions of Americans, as well as providing a web portal, e-mail, instant messaging and later a web browser following its purchase of Netscape. At the height of its popularity, it purchased the media conglomerate Time Warner in the largest merger in U.S. history. AOL rapidly declined thereafter, partly due to the decline of dial-up to broadband. AOL was eventually spun off from Time Warner in 2009, with Tim Armstrong appointed the new CEO. Under his leadership, the company invested in media brands and advertising technologies.

On June 23, 2015, AOL was acquired by Verizon Communications for $4.4 billion. In the following months, AOL also made a deal with Microsoft and acquired several tech properties, including Millennial Media and Kanvas to bolster their mobile ad-tech capabilities.


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