Activeworlds.com, Inc. Releases User Numbers @ [2/11/1999 2:44:01 PM] by: Activeworlds Press

Newburyport, Mass. - February 11, 1999
Activeworlds.com, Inc. has received numerous inquiries as to the number of users in the Active Worlds™ environment ("Active Worlds"). In response Activeworlds.com has published its official traffic numbers on its website today at www.activeworlds.com. "We feel that our user numbers are something to be proud of and hope this will correct any false impressions some may have gotten regarding our user base", said Rick Noll, President of Activeworlds.com. The total user base of Active Worlds is in excess of 650,000 users, of which over 16,000 are paid users. Active Worlds receives in excess of 1000 new users per day and records over 1 million daily impressions from its site.

Active Worlds is a unique technology which allows thousands of simultaneous users to build 3D content in the same shared environment, and is ideally suited for such applications as e-commerce, chat, and distance learning.

Recently, Activeworlds.com has been made aware of erroneous information being circulated regarding the size of its user base. This information is being circulated by persons not affiliated with it through chat rooms and other methods. In an effort to maintain the highest quality online time for users of the popular Active Worlds 3D Universe, Activeworlds.com occasionally ejects users for conduct violating its "Terms of Conduct". It became known to Activeworlds.com that in an unprecedented and seemingly retaliatory move to these actions, a few of these users had mounted an organized anti-Active Worlds campaign geared towards discrediting the company. An attempt was also made to minimize the actual user base of Active Worlds, which was disseminated in a newsgroups frequented by these users.

"Active Worlds has a very passionate Internet community," said Rick Noll. "While the majority of users take pride in their creations and businesses, there is a vocal minority who focus significant efforts on harassing others and disrupting the dynamic community operated by Activeworlds.com. In the past week there have been attacks on the company, likely occasioned by our recently becoming publicly traded and our entrance into the e-commerce marketplace and the exposure that came with this." said Noll. "These same individuals have also created elaborate graphic and derogatory representations of company officials and posted vivid imaginary stories regarding the company. While Activeworlds.com believes that it is unfortunate that these individuals feel it necessary to express themselves in this manner, we are not entirely surprised. We have reached a point in time where global communications and the freedom of expression have reached across all boundaries and into our homes and offices. The Internet at its best allows for freedom of communication, at its worst it becomes a soapbox for anyone to publicly spread lies or launch hate campaigns on individuals or organizations. This is an issue which faces all internet companies and has received much media exposure in recent months." Activeworlds.com believes that the comments made by these individuals are not likely to have any significant negative effect on the company's business and that they do not reflect the views of its userbase generally.

Safe Harbor Statement
Investors should carefully consider the preceding information as well as other information contained in this press release before making an investment in the Common Stock. Information contained in this press release contains "forward-looking statements" which can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believes," "expects," "may," "should," or "anticipates" or the negative thereof or given that the future results covered by the forward-looking statements will be achieved. The preceding matters constitute cautionary statements identifying important factors with respect to such forward-looking statements, including certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to vary materially from the future results covered in such forward-looking statements. Other factors could also cause actual results to vary materially from the future results covered in such forward-looking statements.
Contacts:
JP McCormick, Chairman and CFO
Richard F. Noll, CEO and President
Activeworlds.com, Inc.
(978) 499-0222