Aol is an American multinational mass media corporation based in New York City which develops, grows, and invests in brands and web sites. The company's business spans digital distribution of content, products, and services, which it offers to consumers, publishers, and advertisers.

AOL is best known for its online software suite, also called AOL, which allowed customers to access the world's largest "walled garden" online community and eventually reach out to the Internet as a whole. At its peak, AOL's membership was over 30 million members worldwide, most of whom accessed the AOL service through the AOL software suite.