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A heated public debate over intrusive mobile technology has erupted across China after a young man claimed that a smartphone lock screen feature hindered them from calling an ambulance, allegedly contributing to his mother's death
On 10 September, 19-year-old Zhang shared on social media that his mother suffered a fatal heart attack at approximately 4am on 30 August, according to the South China Morning Post.
His father tried to dial the emergency medical service number 120 but accidentally swiped to the smartphone's built-in magazine page instead of unlocking the device.
Struggling to exit the full-screen feature, the father, who suffers from long-term effects of a stroke, was forced to go door-to-door seeking help from neighbours.
The resulting delay allegedly hindered rescue efforts, and Zhang's mother was pronounced dead at home at 5.51am
The smartphone involved features its proprietary lock screen function that cycles through a rotating feed of high-definition images, news, and art on the device's lock screen.
Independent users' demonstrations showed that swiping across the screen activates the feature. Users attempting standard upward unlock gestures often find themselves stuck scrolling through sponsored magazine cards, some of which allow instant app downloads without unlocking the phone.
Image used for illustration purposes only.
Image via DignitedZhang initially sought an official apology, the removal of the feature, and compensation
After his demands were rejected, he deleted his initial posts. Third-party logs retrieved from the father's phone confirmed that he successfully placed 10 outgoing calls between 4.40am and 5.40am. System records showed he accessed the built-in magazine page after those calls, exiting the screen within eight seconds.
The smartphone maker expressed sympathy over the family's loss and chose not to pursue legal action regarding brand reputation damage.
Despite the retraction, the incident sparked widespread anger over predatory digital advertising models built into mobile operating systems.
