China's 'Are You Dead?' app highlights loneliness among young people
Developed by three young Chinese in their 20s, the app has quickly become the most downloaded paid app on China’s Apple App Store.
A new app in China, bluntly named "Are You Dead?", is taking the country by storm, offering young people who live alone a way to check in with friends or relatives and confirm they are alive.
The app costs 8 yuan (about $1.10) per check-in.
Developed by three young Chinese in their 20s, the app has quickly become the most downloaded paid app on China's Apple App Store. It is also gaining popularity in countries like Singapore, the Netherlands, Britain, India, and the United States.
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The app's simplicity—a single button to send a proof-of-life alert—is aimed at those who live far from family and struggle with loneliness. Developer Ian Lü, 29, said it especially suits introverts who find it "unrealistic to message people every day just to tell them you're still alive."
China's rapid urbanization has left more than 100 million single-person households, as young adults move to cities for work and education, often far from parents and grandparents. Users like Yuan Sangsang, 38, see the app as a way to reassure relatives in the event of an unexpected death, while others enjoy it as a humorous social check-in.
The app has sparked discussions around cultural taboos: the word "death" is largely avoided in Chinese society.
Following public pressure, the developers briefly pulled the app from the App Store and proposed a new name, "Demumu", though they later decided to crowdsource another name, offering a reward of 666 yuan ($96) for suggestions.
Commentators say the app's popularity reflects a mix of practical concern and the desire to feel seen and understood in a fast-paced, isolating society.
