From coding to freedom of information: The push for positive social change

Minecraft

When Minecraft was officially launched in 2011, after sitting for a couple of years as a side project for its creator, it became a big hit almost instantly. Its popularity has ebbed and flowed, as most videogames do, over the years, yet it has so far withstood the test of time. The quality of the graphics makes it seem underdeveloped, a throwback to the days of pixelated characters, yet this isn’t what makes it popular. It’s the freedom with which you can decide how you interact with the game that appeals to the players worldwide.

170 million of them. Actively. Per month.

As of 2024, that’s almost 3 times the population of the UK, a purely staggering number. 

So, what is Minecraft?

If you’ve never played it, Minecraft is a sandbox game that allows you to explore a vast world of different environments, defend yourself against monsters, and build everything from a simple wooden home to intricate energy systems. You can choose if you want the adventure or non-adversarial build mode, where you can construct anything you like; palaces, Middle Earth, and whole cities have seen hundreds of hours dedicated to them.  

It’s a simple concept of building blocks, the idea of which has made it confusing to parents and game critics for its popularity. Yet, it’s this freedom of imagination that draws the player numbers that it does. 
It is this global reach and creative opportunity that has attracted the attention of organisations looking to make the world a better place.

The Uncensored Library

The people at Reporters Without Borders have a mission to promote freedom of information and provide everyone globally with the opportunity to see any and all media articles, regardless of where they live. 

One of their approaches to achieving this has been to build The Uncensored Library. Resembling the New York Public Library, it’s made of a massive 12.5 million Minecraft blocks and over 300 virtual books as of 2024. These are arrayed over 12 wings, mostly dedicated to countries where press freedom is restricted. 

The library is accessible to anyone who can join the server which, to date, is anyone who has an internet connection. There are, so far, no restrictions to Minecraft servers as it is still seen by many as just a game, allowing a much wider audience to read, compare, and infer importance for themselves, from news articles all over the world. 

 

What’s next?

This lack of restriction is despite the many social outreach projects that have sprung up on it in recent years. The Uncensored Library is now one of many servers that are actively trying to provide alternative learning and knowledge tools from the traditional, more biased, sources.

Another of these is the Education Edition, where kids can delve into digital worlds built around periods of history. Good Trouble is a project within this where anyone can learn about global social justice movements, such as Martin Luther King, Malala Yousafzai and Nelson Mandela.

It might only be a matter of time before governments begin clamping down on this freedom of information, yet the internet is still an untamed wildland that is only going to grow with our technological revolution. When one area is blocked, another will become available.

Whilst the creators and coders of Minecraft might not have foreseen the direction the game was going to take; they have embraced the opportunity and actively work with these projects to make some positive impact on the world they live in.

 

Are you interested in a career in coding and wondering what you can do to make a positive change? Speak to one of our career consultants who will guide you through the vast options open to you.

Header image credit: miglagoa - stock.adobe.com