In recent weeks, a morbid-sounding app has taken China by storm, tapping into widespread loneliness and youth disaffection in the world’s second most populous country.
The app, named “Are You Dead” and aimed at those who live alone, has a simple premise: Users must check in on the app every day. If several days are missed, the app will automatically notify the user’s emergency contact.
In recent weeks the app has gone viral, topping Apple’s paid App Store ranking on Saturday, according to state-run tabloid Global Times. It’s since been covered in international media, causing such a surge in downloads that the app has rebranded and introduced a subscription fee.
This virality speaks to a larger trend across China, home to 1.4 billion people: a rise in people living alone, often feeling isolated or struggling with their well-being.
By 2030, there could be as many as 200 million single-person households in the country, according to Global Times, citing real-estate research institutions.
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