Uncensored Library Banned Journalism Housed In Virtual Minecraft Architecture
Schools that ban books often result in a backlash on the censors who would be. This results in a rise in interest in illegal literature. Reporters Without Borders, a group that advocates for the visibility of media censored by governments, spearheads efforts to make the material more visible. Their Uncensored Library project brings together journalism and architecture in an unlikely virtual reality world which is the interactive gaming world of Minecraft.
On the surface, Minecraft is a game of collaborative construction and its low-res design may not seem suitable for features such as reading articles or even complete books in game. There are "items" in Minecraft that can be used to create books with an endless number of pages. Reviews Creators can convert text into these "books," rendering them usable and downloadable. The books are then stored into "chests" and arranged in virtual space to ensure accessibility.
The concept, in part, is to work around normally blocked channels. The non-profit Reporters Without Borders has experience on this front with projects like the audio-centric Uncensored Playlist, which evaded the censors through music streaming services. In the Uncensored Library the spatial layout allows for easier access to information and also permits other kinds of interaction and creation as well, like memorials to journalists who were killed that is housed within the library's walls.
James Delaney, Blockworks' project manager, says the style is Classical and formal. It's the exact type of architecture that you would find in the British Museum or New York Public Library. "That was deliberate, because this architectural style is usually used by governments to reinforce their own authority positions." The design team "wanted to take this style and transform it into something else. Yes, we're using this formalistic, autoritarian style, however, instead it's stuffed with free information."
Reporters Without Borders handles the criteria for inclusion, which ensures that the library's information remains true, accurate sensitive, sensitive, and secure. Cian Mahar reports. It appears to be working: The library is receiving regular visitors from countries like Russia, Egypt, Mexico and Saudi Arabia where information is not available for free.
The inside of the library's structure is decorated with maps and flags. Flags are used to identify areas where censorship has been more severe and aid in virtual navigation within the library's stacks. The design choices are also created to appeal to younger users who are familiar with Minecraft and also to educate them about the dangers of censorship. This isn't a subject that all countries will accept. Some are trying to shut down the main server. However, as with all things on the internet, once the cat (gif) is removed from the bag, it's game over. Anybody can download the entire library and reupload it to a different server at any time.
The Uncensored Library website states: "In many countries, websites social media, social media, and blogs are controlled or censored by oppressive rulers. Particularly, young people are forced to be raised in a system where their opinions is heavily manipulated by governmental disinformation campaigns. But even where almost all media is blocked or controlled, the world's most successful computer game is still accessible. Reviews
