In authoritarian countries where journalists are constantly jumping through hoops to publish their work without losing their livelihoods (or worse), Reporters Without Borders (RSF) presents us with their modern solution to this problem: Minecraft.
Minecraft, the best-selling video game of all time, has inspired endless creativity from people of all ages and nationalities since its release in 2011. From building every player’s first dirt house in Survival Mode to experimenting with design ideas for real city infrastructure, the game is a showcase for all sorts of artistic and technical achievements.
And now, it has become a medium to advocate for press freedoms.
Compared to standard media outlets that journalists are more accustomed to, video games can be more complicated to monitor and censor. This is because games don’t always fall under the same, sometimes old-fashioned, content regulations. Games may also have live chat features and player-made material that is difficult to censor in real time.
Despite the live chat and player freedoms in Minecraft, RSF noticed that “the world’s most successful computer game is still accessible” in many countries where media is otherwise strictly controlled.
This observation sparked the idea to reintroduce censored journalism to restrictive countries by using this digital loophole and, in 2020, The Uncensored Library was born.
In partnership with design studio BlockWorks, RSF created a world in Minecraft where players can read tens of censored articles by journalists from 9 different countries. This world exists as a map that can be accessed via an online server, a download (for an offline, solo experience), or a 3D interactable preview on their website (which operates like Google Earth).
What’s inside The Uncensored Library?
Upon entering The Uncensored Library, players will find a central domed room with flags and brief descriptions of all 180 countries on the Press Freedom Index. They will also see a room dedicated to misinformation regarding COVID-19 in 10 different countries, including China and North Korea.
Beyond this, the Library extends into six different rooms covering Russia, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Egypt, and the RSF itself. In the past four years, three more countries were added in glass conservatories in the surrounding gardens: Brazil, Eritrea, and Belarus.
Articles in Minecraft Books, Artwork in Blocks
Each room contains a unique architectural symbol, like a kraken to represent Russia’s multifaceted crackdown on journalism or a collection of shrines to honor the deaths of reporters in Mexico. Beside these sculptures are various Minecraft books readable to players.
The books contain works by an author from the room’s respective country, available in English and the author’s native language.
Some rooms have jukeboxes that play a recording of one of the pieces being read aloud in its original language (though it’s unclear whether these voices belong to the authors). Most rooms also have a description of the sculpture and a short biography of the writer.
If you’re like me, you didn’t know about The Uncensored Library until now. I only discovered it through a Tweet I happened upon recently. But others in the Minecraft community have seen posts about the Library circulate again and again since its initial release in 2020.
Nowadays when the Library is discovered by someone new, who then posts about it on social media, it’s bound to spark a debate.
Whether this project is an “ineffective publicity stunt” or “old news,” there is a discussion to be had about the criticism surrounding the goals and outcome of The Uncensored Library.
Critics Call it Over-Publicized and Inaccessible…
In my search for more information and reception on this project, I found a mix of appreciation and critique. Many users across all social media appreciate the creative use of a video game to improve press freedoms.
Still, many more worry that the consistent publicity of the Library will threaten Minecraft’s accessibility in authoritarian countries.
I feel like it’s not going to do what it thinks it’s going to do and just get minecraft banned instead
Reddit user Azozel, about the Library
Boosted popularity only makes it more likely that restrictive governments will learn about the project and ban the website, the server, or Minecraft altogether.
While some countries allow the use of VPNs, or virtual private networks, which can help users reach banned content, this is often a risky method of access. Even if VPNs aren’t outright illegal (like they are in China or Russia), some countries might monitor and penalize their citizens for using them to read treasonous material.
Another common criticism of the Uncensored Library is that a Minecraft map is an inconvenient method to deliver such crucial content. Minecraft is currently $29.99 USD. On Minecraft’s Mexican website, the price is listed as $799.00 pesos, or $48.01 USD. There are multiple system requirements as well, though they aren’t very demanding.
Essentially, The Uncensored Library requires additional, sometimes costly, steps to access in comparison to other mediums. Using a nondescript USB drive instead, for example, would allow someone to download banned articles with less technological or monetary requirements.
Then there comes the added layer of knowing how to download the map, transfer it to your Minecraft save files, and use the game’s controls, none of which are very intuitive for those unfamiliar with the game.
This barrier to entry and potential for censorship of Minecraft itself have led some commentators to accuse the Library of being “just for show” or even a feel-good publicity stunt.
…But The Uncensored Library Needs Press
While these critiques help remind us to analyze The Uncensored Library by more than just its impressive build, they still miss the point.
The main goal of the Library is to provide people access to important journalism that is banned in their country. To accomplish this, the creators encourage sharing the project far and wide. Their website even has a press kit prepared with quality images and background information to make it easier to spread the word.
In The Uncensored Library, RSF addresses the concerns about receiving too much publicity. They point out that censorship of the Library is indeed possible. However, the map has been downloaded thousands of times and is accessible through multiple other servers already. This would make it challenging for any government to fully ban access to.
Although it’s unclear to me what countries heavily censor Minecraft or how likely it is that the game is actively monitored, it is true that the map is out there and still spreading for more players to find. If the project is not publicized and shared, then how will it ever reach those who need it?
…And it Needs Creativity!
To the point that The Uncensored Library is not a convenient option for those that would otherwise benefit from accessing it, I argue that ease of access is not the point here.
Sharing banned information is undoubtedly an ongoing effort in every country in the world. Most commonly, this would consist of sharing articles, interviews, books, and other straightforward and traditional media.
The Uncensored Library, however, aims to grab the interest of younger generations. It acts as an artistic and engaging collection of work that adds interpretation and context to the original pieces.
Beyond being informative, the Library is a collaboration of inspired and hopeful human minds.
For a project so new to have garnered as much conversation as it has, I look forward to the expansion and growth of The Uncensored Library. If you have the time, it’s worth taking a look for yourself, too.
