Free speech shouldn't be a lottery

International non-profit and non-governmental organisation Reporters Without Borders is cutting through Russia's information blockade with a new system hack using blockchain technology, allowing access to censored information.

The initiative, created in partnership with DDB Germany and digital and innovation studio Hyperinteractive, is called The Truth Wins and shines a light on the importance of press freedom. It uses an innovative strategy to provide easy access to censored articles and independent information by prominent journalists; namely, the national lottery.

In countries such as Russia, Turkey and Brazil, the countries most responsible for forcing Twitter to quash dissident voices, you can simply type that country's national lottery numbers into Twitter and be directed to information - archived through uncensored blockchain networks - that is otherwise extremely difficult to access. These constantly changing access codes keep the truth moving too fast for state censors, doing so by actually hijacking the same state-owned media responsible for publicising the numbers.

Cutting through the propaganda and the chatter, the national lottery numbers provide a foolproof point of access: you type that week’s Russian, Turkish or Brazilian lottery numbers into Twitter and other social media sites, and the results take you to a meticulously curated source of current, independent journalism that those states don’t want you to see. Featuring quality journalism from some of the highest-profile journalists and activists in those countries, the censored articles are provided in English and Russian, Turkish or Portuguese with newly added illustrations and interviews with independent journalists.

“Press freedom is an abstract and often political topic," said Tobias Natterer, Senior Copywriter at DDB Berlin. "I think creativity can help to highlight its importance and make it more approachable to people.”

“Especially in times of crisis, access to independent journalism is essential," added Christian Mihr, Managing Director os Reporters Without Borders Germany. "More than ever, we need to fight for the right to seek and share information online. Civil society, governments, and tech platforms all share responsibility for guaranteeing this right.”

For more information, you can visit The Truth Wins.