So why not wade into the abyss of this thread...
Perhaps in spite of my better judgement as both an alum and a parent of a recent grad of the fine institution that is "Kigs Point!" I've hesitated until now weighing in on this one. But hey as Sinatra says "I gotta be me..."
So the simple things out of the way first:
Hurricane12: Alas while both USNA and USMMA are in urban areas and on the water within line of sight of muliple communications/presumably including cell towers, in general cell service on campus has historically been intermittant and subpar, especially if you are not on Verizon, so for many smartphones while technically a good work around are not necesarily a way that practically would enable the Regiment to "work smarter not harder." Finally because I am a King Point grad I'll just point out the irony of a guy who goes to a place that trains leaders how to operate vessels with 300+ personnel telling guys who go to a place that does a similar job training them how to operate vessels, that actually make money every day, and are operated by 30 or less individuals certainly seems at least a little humorous and ironic to me.
By and large my reaction to the OP is I understand, feel your pain and sympathize with you. While I am of the same era of USNA85 and cmakin, the world I live in has always been technologically advanced, I had and had to routinely check the version of email our company used 30 plus years ago to ensure I was doing my job right and properly communicating with my management and coworkers in a timely manner. Ten years later (now 20 years ago) virtually everyone in my field used regular email and that was necessary. Ten years after that my company was supplying two of the "5 Killer Apps" that were attributed to making OIF an easier war to fight: #1 DMS aka Defense Messinging System (UNCLASS and CLAS) email and #5 GTN - Global Transportation Network a web enabled federated database that let commanders in the field ask the same question they ask "MyFedex" - Where's my stuff and when will it get here.
The explosion of Social Media started about five years ago, and it's use to support productive collaboration and communications - both personal as well as business/profession has accellerated and taken off the last two years. It's implications will be long lasting. Just ask Matt Fuhrman KP '05, founding partner of Core Group Resources or Jack Mylott KP '86 Principle at Flagship Management wether or not they think Facebook is some place where they waste time or a key tool in the conduct of their business of sourcing talent for the Maritime Industry and you might be surprised by their response. In my own industry Aerspace and Defense which is very conservative in it's adoption of the tools provided by Social Media in particular, LinkedIn; Facebook and yes even Twitter, there is a growing acknowledgement and use of these tools as prt of our Marketing Communications and outreach to not just customers, but prospective employees, business partners, and the public in general. This is in spite of all the valid security concerns one has to all this electronic commerce. I heard a talk 4 years ago by Frank Abignale, he of "Catch Me If You Can" fame or infamey, he now consults on how to prevent fraud and identity theft, etc for the largets financial and most presetegous law enforcement agencies worldwide that would scare the most jaded of us. But Abignale also pointed out, the use of these tools is inevitable, a point I agree is routinely proven out.
That's why despite totalitarian efforts by nations like China, and recently some Middle Eastern and North African nations movements like the Arab Spring have successfuly effected change despite censorship directed at limiting access to both routine "news" in general and social media in particular. In the A&D industry I live daily, the acknowledgment and adoption of social media and tools ranges from trying to ensure a company is being very progressive to a defensie posture of if we don't put out our message on our terms then others may hijack our brand and message. In either case the increasing majority of companies have Facebook Pages and LinkedIn groups and to a lesser degree Twitter and other Accounts including YouTube channels where their sales and BD team can direct prospective customers to se videos of the products and capabilities their firm provides. My point is that's a LOT of useful, informative content even if you don't want to see a clip of your favorite scence from one of your favoritie movies, or of Kim Kardashian's 20 minute marriage and/or of her in the latest bikini she wore to the beach at Santa Monica Pier.
I'll also add that today as I worked I had facebook open all day, when I can, I do so incase my son who is currently in the Baltic working as a third mate can IM me and I can then call him on his cell number knowing he's there and we both can talk privately and very cost effectively. Today, while I did not coverse with my son, two professional collegues IM'd me, via FB, about work related items, even though I generally do not use facebook for my professional life, they saw me as online and used that easy avenue to ask me simple questions.
My point is the world is a constantly changing place, technologically social media has come of age. A number of us have and continue to advocate USMMA incorporate more IT capabilities and training/courses in their curricula, particcularly the deck/logistics curricula. Those advocates include RADM Mark Buzby, USN USMMA 1979 current Commander of Military Sealift Command - a guy all of us from that era know has never been one to embrace or advocate the trivial. Part of that it would seem to me to be USMMA DOITT and Leadership embracing and expanding access to these tools, and having solid policies, written regulations, and the right monitoring tools to ensure both approriate Information Assurance and Proper Use of computers connected to a subnet of a Government Network, apropriate to a Federal Service Academy are in place.
I've rambled on a fair amount but I'll close with this - in spite of the age of our Class a key factor in our ability to stay connected, hve over 50% of our Class attend our 30th reunion this past fall, as have the spirit of goodwill that engendered contribute very positively in the Reunion Gift we presented to the USMMA Foundation, was our class's Facebook Group/Page which has been active and used often for over 2 1/2 years. Somthing more and more Classes are also using today. So it's not all keeping up with Kardashians, looking at funny but relatively stupid memes on your timeline, etc.