Douyin Launches “Senior Safety Mode”: Customizable Safe Zones to Help Prevent Seniors from Going Missing

On December 19, Douyin introduced a new “Senior Anti-Lost” feature within its existing Senior Mode, officially available to users aged 60 and above.

After completing identity verification, eligible senior users can designate an emergency contact and define a safe activity area with a customized range. This allows families to better support seniors’ daily mobility while respecting their independence.

If the system detects that a senior user has moved beyond the preset safe zone, the linked emergency contact will immediately receive an alert through in-app notifications and other Douyin prompts, enabling timely follow-up and assistance.

Should a family member be confirmed missing, the emergency contact can initiate a one-click search request directly through Douyin, significantly shortening response time during critical moments.

This feature builds on Douyin’s long-standing public-interest initiative, Douyin Search for Missing Persons. The project originated from Toutiao Search, a公益 (public welfare) program launched by Jinri Toutiao in February 2016. Its core mechanism relies on location-based precision pop-up technology to distribute missing-person information, using technology to help reunite separated families.

As the project evolved, platforms including Douyin gradually joined the effort. Starting in December 2021, Douyin and volunteers also began hosting live search broadcasts, helping parents and children amplify missing-person information through real-time interaction.

As of February 2023, Douyin Search for Missing Persons has helped reunite more than 20,000 families. At its peak, the platform assisted 59 people in a single day. Among those found, the longest separation lasted 85 years, the fastest recovery took just 60 seconds, the oldest person reunited was 101 years old, and the youngest was only three months old.

Through continued innovation and social responsibility, Douyin is leveraging technology not only to connect people online, but also to bring families back together in real life.