Tech District · VIDEO ESSAY

The Fascinating Story of AOL, the Dial-Up Empire That Ruled the American Web and Destroyed Itself

AOL once ruled the American internet, bringing millions online through dial-up tones, free trial CDs, chat rooms, and instant messaging. But the same empire that helped define the web’s early years eventually collapsed under bad decisions, fierce competition, and one of the most infamous mergers in tech history. This is the rise,