Choose your own FER is an interactive story that people play on their personal devices (smartphones or laptops). The story explores a world shaped by Facial Emotion Recognition.

Try it yourself on: cyof.org

Instead of clicking choices, people continue the story by showing emotions such as happiness, anger, sadness, or surprise, which are detected through the device’s camera and the FER system running in the background. Through these expressions, people actively build the world of the story to reflect their responses to the technology.

Different story paths range from company compliance or public space surveillance to a sibling finding support through technology, or people using it as a learning tool.

The narrative is based on real threats and benefits of FER. These findings have informed relatable storylines told in the first person, allowing participants to empathize with the characters. The structure consists of three main story arcs, each branching at several points based on the reader’s displayed emotions. While some paths and their endings are unique, some converge across storylines.

Interactivity is central to the project. The user reads a passage, displays an emotion, the system recognizes the expression, and the story advances to the corresponding passage. This creates an embodied experience where the participant’s emotions directly shape the unfolding narrative.