I can't say anything about 94, since I didn't get online until late 95, but I can tell you they were very much in use by then. I remember having contests in a chat room who could make the longest rotfl acronym. I can't remember using smilies so much, but the smiley did just turn 25, so they were in use somewhere.

EDIT: Oh, wow, check this out. A newsgroup posting from 1990 that lists acronyms and smilies. There you go! laugh

"You need me. You wouldn't be much of a hero without a villain. And you do love being the hero, don't you. The cheering children, the swooning women, you love it so much, it's made you my most reliable accomplice." -- Lex Luthor to Superman, Question Authority, Justice League Unlimited