Any company could bid on the contracts to make these sites, and more importantly, maintain them and provide services.

Most Silicon/tech companies don't do these contracts because they are not as profitable and simply doing usual tech work.

So while BAZ makes money on fees, it's most likely not because they're evil wizards - it's more likely because not many others capable of running such a project for the required length of time bid on it.

So, if you really think these things are somehow such a theft of money, go compete, do it vastly cheaper, hire your friends and other do-gooders, and see how it goes.

But in the end, you might find that articles like this simply promote outrage and not actual understanding of the how and why of projects like it.