cultural heritage Archives

TrendTechie

December 24, 2025

Со Spotify скачали 86 млн песен, компания начала расследование, метаданные архива доступны в сети

Anna’s Archive, a non-profit meta-search engine, has acquired 86 million songs and metadata for 256 million compositions from Spotify as part of a project to create a global music archive. Founded by a group of anonymous archivists in response to law enforcement actions against Z-Library, Anna’s Archive aims to preserve digital content and make it accessible to the public. The organization has faced numerous takedown requests but remains a popular platform for pirated content. The Spotify project began after hackers found a way to collect data from the platform, focusing on preserving lesser-known music alongside popular tracks. Anna’s Archive has collected 186 million unique ISRC codes, surpassing existing public databases. Currently, only metadata has been released, with plans to distribute music files starting with popular tracks. Spotify has acknowledged the unauthorized access and is investigating the incident, having blocked accounts involved in data scraping and implemented new security measures. The legality of Anna’s Archive's activities raises questions, as the extraction and distribution of audio files may violate copyright laws and Spotify's terms of service.

AppWizard

December 17, 2025

Minecraft challenge breathes new life into rich cultural past

A young gamer named Qiu Zekai, known as Qiuxiaoniuer, has recreated part of the destroyed Yuanmingyuan (Old Summer Palace) in Minecraft, digitally repatriating the looted 12 zodiac bronze animal heads. His video has received millions of views, prompting discussions about "cyber reunion" and national pride. The zodiac bronzes were originally part of a fountain at the Qing Dynasty royal resort, which was looted during the Second Opium War in 1860. Only seven of the bronzes have been returned. Qiu spent two months on this project, which is part of a larger Minecraft building relay challenge that has amassed over 300 million views and showcases Chinese cultural architecture. Other participants have created significant structures, including a miniature Forbidden City and a floating palace inspired by Dunhuang art. The relay has become a cultural dialogue, connecting younger generations with their heritage through gaming.

AppWizard

August 12, 2025

Tourism New Zealand Launches AI Trip Planner with Minecraft Integration to Inspire Global Travellers

Travellers can use an AI trip planner powered by GuideGeek technology on newzealand.com, which provides real-time answers to travel inquiries and connects to a fully playable Minecraft destination created by Tourism New Zealand. The AI offers personalized travel tips based on individual interests and integrates data from over 1,000 travel information sources. The Minecraft collaboration features digital recreations of New Zealand locations, enhancing engagement and curiosity about actual sites. Since its launch in late 2024, the AI has attracted around 200,000 unique users, who engage 600% more than average visitors. The initiative promotes New Zealand's cultural heritage through collaboration with Māori groups and local businesses, supporting both popular and lesser-known destinations. Future enhancements for the AI tool may include voice assistance and itinerary sharing.