A new bleak-sounding app has taken China by storm.
Named Are You Dead?, the concept is simple. You need to check in with it every two days – clicking a large button – to confirm that you are alive. If not, it will get in touch with your appointed emergency contact and inform them that you may be in trouble.
Launched in May of last year, the app initially went under the radar, but attention has exploded in recent weeks. Many young people who live alone in Chinese cities have downloaded it in droves, propelling it to become the most downloaded paid app in the country.
According to research institutions, up to 200 million one-person households may exist in China by 2030. The app targets those individuals, describing itself as a safety company companion aimed at solo office workers, students living away from home, or anyone choosing a solitary lifestyle.
People who live alone at any stage of their life need something like this, as do introverts, those with depression, the unemployed, and others in vulnerable situations, remarked one user on Chinese social media. Others have expressed concern over the fear of dying unnoticed without anyone to call for help.
Wilson Hou, a 38-year-old who lives 100km from his family, fears he could die alone in his rented place without anyone noticing. He downloaded the app to set up his mother as his emergency contact.
Critics have suggested the app's gloomy name may bring bad luck and have called for it to be changed to something more positive, like Are you ok?. The developers are contemplating this feedback seriously.
Internationally, the app is available under the name Demumu and ranks highly in several countries for paid utility apps, especially among Chinese users abroad. Originally launched as a free application, it now requires a small fee of 8 yuan (around $1.15).
Developed by three young individuals from Zhengzhou, the app has gained considerable value, and there are plans to raise funds by selling a portion of the company. Looking forward, the team is also considering developing products aimed at assisting the elderly, addressing the needs of a growing demographic in China where over one-fifth of the population is over 60.
