People want you to see the world through their eyes these days. Interactive point-of-view (POV) content has become very popular. For example, on TikTok, someone can show you a “day in the life” of a character, or in a movie, you can become the main character. Or, there’s a new app that lets you make decisions for a character. But what is it really? To be clear from the start, we’re not talking about a single government-run app or website.
Interactive POV is actually a larger and growing genre—a way of telling stories and making material that uses technology to put *you* right into the story. It’s the difference between seeing something happen to someone else and feeling like it’s your own, even if only for a moment.
For the most part, interactive POV is exactly what it sounds like: first-person material that lets you change the story or interact with it. It’s like the difference between reading a friend’s notebook and living a day in their shoes. The most common example is the “POV” video on social media, in which the person making the video acts out a scene while holding the camera like it’s their own eyes. You’re finally going to meet your hero.” But the “interactive” part makes it more interesting. There are easy “choose your own adventure” stories like *Bandersnatch* on YouTube and Netflix, as well as more in-depth role-play accounts on TikTok where you are directly addressed as a character in the scene. There are more advanced forms in the game world, like virtual reality (VR) experiences that track your hand and head movements and put you in charge of a digital world. The breaking down of the fourth wall, which lets you in, is what ties them all together.
The technical side is interesting for people who want to do more than just make a movie. Game systems like Unreal Engine and Unity are used to make more advanced dynamic POV experiences, especially in VR and games. These tools show 3D worlds in real time, responding right away to where you look, what you do, and how you move. In this case, terms like “haptic feedback” and “spatial computing” are useful. Spatial computing lets the digital world know how it fits into your physical space. For example, when you lean in, the thing you’re looking at gets closer. Haptic input, like the way a controller shakes, makes you feel like you’re touching something. “Presence,” or the idea that you’ve left your living room and joined another world, is the goal. Not only are these experiences updated to fix bugs, but the “branching narratives” (the tree of possible story endings based on your choices) are also improved all the time. This makes the simulation feel more natural and responsive. Supporters say that this level of involvement can make a strong emotional link and encourage understanding by putting you in the shoes of another person in a way that a neutral film can’t.
That being said, this strong link comes with a lot of moral questions that we can’t ignore. Technology that is meant to help people understand each other better can also be used to control people. Imagine a political campaign that puts you in the shoes of a made-up citizen to change your mind, or an interactive POV ad that makes you feel like you’re missing out. Some people say that interactive POV can be more convincing and harder to refuse than standard media because it doesn’t use our critical or observing minds but instead appeals directly to our sense of experience. As well, there is the issue of psychic effects. Where do we draw the line between truth and fiction as they become less clear? Stakeholders in this area are very split. Media ethicists warn of a “wild west” of psychological experiments done on people without their permission, while tech workers often talk up the possibilities for learning and connecting with others. Because of this, some makers are starting to use “ethical design” principles, such as giving content tips for very intense and engrossing situations and being clear when content is meant to sell or influence.
So, how might this happen to you every day, and what should you know? If you watch an Instagram author talk directly to the camera as if you were there, you’ve probably already done a weak form of it. You can get more in-depth by playing “interactive fiction” games on Steam or the App Store. Many of these games are text-based and are all about the power of choice. People who make things often want to connect with their audience on a deeper level. By giving you a character, they let you into a shared imagined place. Start with something easy if you want to try making it yourself. Record a short movie of yourself doing something and talk to the watcher as if they were there with you. The important thing is to be real; the goal isn’t flawless special effects, but an inviting call to share your point of view.
In the end, interactive point-of-view stories isn’t just a fad; it’s a big change in how we connect with media. We are switching from a world of idle consumption to one where people take part. We can get to know each other better by living in each other’s stories for a short time. This is an exciting promise. It does, however, give us, the players, a new duty. When a video says, “What would you do?” remember that you now have a choice, not just what happens in the story but also how much you let yourself get involved. Your own point of view might be the most strong one you can hold on to.