In a move that blends humor with seriousness, a new app with a shocking name, “Are You Dead?”, has spread across China, becoming a digital tool for checking on the safety of young people living alone away from their families, as major cities transform into spaces for solitary living.
The app is based on a simple and effective idea: the user presses a green button on their phone every two days to send a signal confirming they are still alive to a friend or relative, for a symbolic fee of about one dollar. If the user forgets, the app automatically calls an emergency service designated by the user.
Despite its simplicity, the app recently topped the list of most downloaded paid apps in China and has seen notable spread in Britain, the United States, and India, reflecting that feelings of loneliness and safety concerns are not exclusive to Chinese society.
The idea for the app was born from the personal experience of living alone in major cities, where daily communication with family or friends can become burdensome or difficult.
The app specifically targets more than 100 million single-person households in China, according to official data, with expectations that this number will increase to 200 million households by 2030. This reflects deep social transformations linked to internal migration towards major cities and the fast pace of life.
Despite the ironic nature of its name, the app has sparked widespread debate. Some users, especially women, have expressed concerns regarding data security and privacy, warning of potential consequences if sensitive information is leaked.
Experts believe the app’s success is not limited to being a safety tool but reflects a deeper psychological state among young people, who are searching for a sense of care and acknowledgment of their existence in a fast-paced, pressure-filled world.
It is added that the shocking name carries an existential message: thinking about death can be a motivation to re-evaluate life and strengthen connections with others, even in their simplest digital forms.
