The Erased
Free Press Unlimited
180 Amsterdam
The Challenge
Free Press Unlimited works to raise awareness about censorship and the imprisonment of journalists. However, as the number of cases grows, it is difficult to raise awareness for each new case.
The Solution
Introducing “The Erased”. A font that erases one word for each imprisoned journalist using the feature of typography ligatures, normally meant to increase legibility.
180 Amsterdam simplified implementation by sharing the code on GitHub, a developer platform that allows developers to create, store, manage and share their code. On World Press Freedom Day, online news outlets worldwide adopted The Erased. As they published their content, certain words were automatically removed. A banner provided an explanation and directed users to the website.
The Results
The initiative garnered over 3,000,000 media impressions. Website traffic tripled, and the fight for free press received the attention it deserves. The Erased font is used in more and more languages, incorporating a new word for every newly imprisoned journalist. It raises awareness, helping the fight to keep journalists’ perspectives from being erased.