Now, more than ever, AOL is a virus.
I've hated AOL ever since they flooded the mail with their CDs. I have a small PO box and they didn't fit. I'd find a slip in my box and have to stand forever in line to pick up the item at the counter. 9 times out of 10 it was another AOL CD.
The very first thing I do with any new computer is remove all AOL supplied software. AOL is a virulent virus.
Several years ago I was dating a lady with two kids, aged 8 and 10. She got her AOL bill and it had more than tripled. Seems AOL had converted her kid's limited access accounts to primary accounts. After dozens of fruitless phone calls, I drafted a letter for her to AOL explaining that AOL had, in essence, entered into a contract with an 8 y/o and 10 y/o. She signed the letter with a CC to our state's attorney general.
She got a refund of previous over payments and an apology. Then she dumped AOL.