AOL and Yahoo, two failed internet companies that now mostly serve to leak your data, are hurtling towards a merger. Verizon already owns AOL, and provided its long-running acquisition of Yahoo’s core businesses goes through, it will be the dubiously proud owner of that company as well.
We already knew that Verizon planned on merging AOL and Yahoo into one company, but now Business Insider has learned what it’s going to be called. For once, we’re desperately praying that the leaks are fake news.
According to the report, “Oath” will be the name of the new company moving forwards. A Verizon spokesperson did not confirm the report, but did suggest that there will be a branding campaign in the coming months for a “disruptive brand company in digital.”
For its part, Yahoo is selling the core internet business you know and “love,” and will be left with just its stake in Chinese retail giant Alibaba. The Yahoo shell will rebrand as Altbaba to reflect its new business.
Verizon’s purchase of Yahoo has been overshadowed by a giant data breach that was revealed last year. Yahoo was found to have been hacked in two possibly related attacks, dating back to 2013 and affecting over a billion users.
