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SERVICES & TECH The first public demonstration of the Second Life virtual online world takes place in February 2002. (Second Life's developer, the Linden Lab company, started in 1999.) "The Nielsen/NetRatings firm estimated that the Internet population had risen from a mere 2,000 or so privileged researchers in 1973 to 428 million people worldwide by April 2002. That number can be expected to continue growing in the coming decade, especially as newer, more inexpensive technologies emerge that allow people to carry the Internet with them wherever they go, using cell phones, pagers, Internet appliances, laptops, and PDAs." (Source: Encyclopedia of New Media) The Friendster social networking site is founded. (In 2003 Google offers to purchase the company for $30 million. Friendster turns down the offer.) "Search Engines: A Pew Internet Project Data Memo." Pew Internet & American Life Project, July 3, 2002. "One Year Later: September 11 and the Internet." Pew Internet & American Life Project, Sept. 5, 2002. "The Internet Goes to College: How Students are Living in the Future with Today's Technology." Pew Internet & American Life Project, Sept. 15, 2002. Eleven percent of U.S. higher education students took at least one online course. Eighty-one percent of all higher learning institutions offer at least one online course, and 34 percent offer complete online degree programs. (Source: Sloan Consortium) "Children in the U.S. experienced the equivalent of an adolescent growth spurt in their use of the Internet between 2000 and 2002. Stretching their digital limbs, 65 percent of American children ages 2-17 now use the Internet from home, school, or some other location -- a 59 percent growth rate since 2000, when 41 percent of children went online from any location." (Source: CPB Report)  "Email at work: Few feel overwhelmed and most are pleased with the way email helps them do their jobs." Pew Internet & American Life Project, Dec. 8, 2002.      Additional Resources Tablet Timeline. PC Magazine, 2002. "Computer Chronicles TV Program." Videos from 1983-2002. Internet Archives.		THE MEDIA News Example: Jan. 10, 2002 -- "The Enron Scandal." (Source: Poynter's Links to the News) News Example: Feb. 22, 2002 -- "Remembering Daniel Pearl." (Source: Poynter's Links to the News) Google introduces a beta version of its Google News service in April 2002. "The Third Wave of Online Journalism." OJR / Web Archive, April 2002. The number of online users being asked to register and pay for Internet content continues to increase. (Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project) News Example: Oct. 28, 2002 -- "Serial Sniper Attacks." (Source: Poynter's Links to the News) News Example: "2002 Elections." (Source: Election 2002 Web Archive) Awards The 2002 Editor & Publisher EPpy awards (Archived list of winners) The 2002 Online News Association's Online Journalism Awards (Archived list of winners) (Archived list of finalists) The 2002 NAA Digital Edge Awards (Archived list of winners) 2002 Webby Awards (Archived list of winners) Statistics "More than 1,300 North American daily newspapers have launched online services." "Worldwide, there are more than 5,000 daily, weekly and other newspapers online." (Source: NAA's 2002 Facts about Newspapers) Additional Resources See Also: New Media Bibliography and other Poynter resources about online journalism

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