Facebook was the first network to truly take UNM (and society as a whole) by storm.
It's ease of use, universal design, and interconnectivity defied nearly all previous networks that came before it.
The story of social media and higher ed are interwoven. Founded by Mark Zuckerberg, a Harvard student at the time, it catered exclusively to college students with .edu email addresses until September 2006.
Facebook arrived at UNM in summer 2004. It was banned on the UNM network from October 2005 to spring 2006 due to privacy concerns (the site did not use HTTPS but required students to use their @
unm.edu accounts to access the site). Service was restored once https was added to Facebook login screen.
Today, Facebook serves more UNM students than another network at the university. It is widely embraced by UNM departments and student organizations as the dominant social network on campus.
However, Facebook use in the United States is declining. Evidence shows that 13-18 year olds are moving away from Facebook in favor of networks that allow for greater privacy, less parental oversight, and that prevent cyber-bullying.