Minecraft may be built around blocks and virtual worlds, but since 2020 it has also hosted a library designed to make censored journalism accessible. The Uncensored Library, created by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) with the BlockWorks collective, republishes articles that are blocked in their countries of origin as books inside the game.

The project relies on the fact that Minecraft can remain available in places where news websites and social platforms are restricted. Visitors can reach the library through its Minecraft server or download the complete map to open on their own computers. The virtual building contains around 300 books and continues to receive new material.

BlockWorks’ 24 specialists built the monumental, neoclassical-style structure over three months. Its articles are transcribed into Minecraft books, each of which can hold up to 100 pages. Texts are generally available in both their original language and English, and users cannot edit them on the server. The entrance hall also offers information about press freedom in 180 countries.

Since opening in 2020, the library has been visited more than one million times, while its books have been read around ten million times in total. Its collections include reporting from Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Egypt and Belarus, including work by journalists who have been imprisoned, forced into exile or killed because of their work.

Putting articles inside a game can evade systems designed to block news websites or filter domains. It is not foolproof: authorities could restrict access to Minecraft, the project’s server or the map download. But a downloadable copy can be kept and shared independently of the original server, making the project harder to remove entirely.

In March 2026, RSF added a section about the United States. The organization distinguishes the country from places with systematic state censorship, while documenting indirect pressures on the press, including limits on access to public information and the removal of government pages or data. The room includes, among other material, a cartoon by Pulitzer Prize winner Ann Telnaes that The Washington Post chose not to publish.

Sources: Focus.it.