In several authoritarian countries, the government censors news sources and books, while “Minecraft” is not. So, Reporters Without Borders enlisted 24 builders, who used 12.5 million virtual Minecraft blocks, to build The Uncensored Library in the popular online computer game, packing it full of information that people in those countries, and elsewhere around the world, can access.
It officially opened on this past Thursday and currently hosts a handful of banned articles from five countries: Egypt, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam. However, the library is growing, with more and more books being added to overcome censorship. Among those pieces include a 2018 article from Mada Masr, an Egyptian news website that has been censored by that country’s government since 2017.
- Build and venture to The Blaze Bridge with swooping blaze and gravel rockfall functions, burning lava, magma, soul sand, glowstone, gravel, nether...
- This collectible LEGO Minecraft construction set includes an Alex minifigure, plus a wither skeleton figure with a Minecraft sword and 2 blaze figures...
- Measures over 4” (11cm) high, 9” (25cm) wide and 5” (13cm) deep
In many countries around the world, there is no free access to information. Websites are blocked, independent newspapers are banned and the press is controlled by the state. Young people grow up without being able to form their own opinions. By using Minecraft, the world’s most popular computer game, as a medium, we give them access to independent information,” said Christian Mihr, the managing director of Reporters Without Borders Germany.
