"Save Minecraft" Trends on Twitter as Fans Protest Controversial Update

"Save Minecraft" is trending on Twitter following a controversial update and fan protest of this controversial update. The update in question is  Minecraft Java Edition 1.19.1, though fans are referring to it as "Update 1.19.84," referencing the George Orwell novel 1984, which is a cautionary tale about "totalitarianism, mass surveillance and repressive regimentation." Before this update, it was up to server owners to moderate their own servers. With this update, there is now a chat reporting system. As Stuart Duncan has pointed out over on Twitter, the implementation of this feature may be the result of numerous incidents of verbal harassment, hate, sexual misconduct, and grooming. Meanwhile, it's also possible expanding legislation may have also prompted the change. Whatever the case, while some fans are happy to see the safety feature added, others are vehemently against it, which is why "Save Minecraft" is growing over on Twitter. 

The primary concern raised by those participating in the trend is that the system can and will be exploited, though it remains to be seen how true this will be. As for Mojang and Microsoft, neither have commented on the backlash via official accounts. However, over on Reddit, a community manager at the former has confirmed the update will not be reverted. The comment has nearly 2,000 votes down.