A new mobile application with a strikingly grim name has gone viral in China, especially among young people living alone in large cities. The app, called “Are You Dead?”, requires users to check in every two days to confirm they are alive. If they fail to do so, the app automatically alerts a pre-selected emergency contact that the user may be in danger.
The app was launched in May 2025 and initially attracted little attention. However, its popularity has soared in recent weeks, driven largely by younger urban residents who live alone. While it was originally free to download, it now costs a small fee, a change that has helped make it the most downloaded paid app in China.
According to Chinese state media, the rise of single-person households is a growing social trend, with estimates suggesting that by 2030 there could be as many as 200 million people living alone in the country. The app explicitly targets this audience, describing itself as “a safety companion for life,” aimed at office workers, students living away from home, and others who choose a solitary lifestyle.
Users have shared concerns on social media about the fear of something happening to them with no one around to notice. One user wrote that people who live alone worry about dying unnoticed, with no one to call for help or even discover what has happened.
The app’s unsettling name has sparked debate. Some critics argue that signing up for an app called “Are You Dead?” is inauspicious and emotionally unsettling, while others have suggested more positive alternatives such as “Are You OK?” or “How Are You?”
The company behind the app, Moonscape Technologies, has acknowledged the criticism and said it is considering a possible name change. Internationally, the app—registered under the name Demumu—has also performed strongly, ranking among the top paid apps in several markets including the United States, Singapore and Australia.
The name is intended as a wordplay inspired by a popular food delivery app, with a similar-sounding phrase in Chinese. Despite its dark tone, the branding has played a key role in attracting attention.
Little is publicly known about the creators, who say they are three people born after 1995 working with a small team. One of the founders said the app was developed on a very limited budget and that the team is now seeking investment. The company is also considering expanding its products, including the possibility of a version designed specifically for older users, in a country with a rapidly aging population.
