> An automatic keep alive would keep pinging if you're dead

Look it this way: an automated request, a email click, it's all just signal collection. If something keeps making an automatic requests beyond it's intended need, then it's just bad signal collection.

I'm pretty sure there are better ways, especially the intended sample rate is 1/week which fairly high fault-tolerant for the use case. For example, you can send keepalives only when user's device is unlocked and in use, etc.

But of course that require client-side development, not sure if you're willing to get your hand dirty on that.