AOL is already worth billions of dollars with over 20 million subscribers reaching far beyond the confines of the United States. Time-Warner's assests would take pages to list, so it is easier to state that this company is also worth billions of dollars and owns countless commercial entities. AOL bought Netscape to compete with Microsoft's Internet Explorer. The new entity will be the largest mobile telecommunications company in the world with 42 million subscribers reaching the U.S., Germany, U.K., Italy and France. Vodafone has also expressed an interest in Mexico's primary mobile telco as well.
Corporations exist because of consumers.
Recent privacy concerns have been raised due to the consumer research and marketing techniques used by corporations. Databases consisting of millions of people have been compiled in order to traget the right consumers with the right advertising schemes. The databases have information regarding individuals' name, address, birthdate, social security number, drivers' license information, credit history, medical records, and who knows what else. When the government, any government, attempts to compile that much detailed information regarding its' citizens it is dangerous. Now imagine all of these massive corporations having similar databases that they share among eachother and sell to the highest bidder.