'Are You Dead?': Viral Chinese App Checks Young People for Proof of Life Every Two Days

A mobile application with a starkly grim premise has captured the attention of China's youth, sparking a nationwide conversation about isolation, mortality, and the modern condition of living alone. Initially launched with little fanfare in May of last year, the app—bluntly titled 'Are You Dead?'—has recently exploded in popularity, becoming the most downloaded paid app in the country.

The concept is as simple as it is morbid. Users are required to check in with the interface by clicking a large button every two days, serving as a 'digital pulse,' that confirms the user is still alive.

If the user fails to click the button within the allotted timeframe, the app automatically sends a distress message to an appointed emergency contact, alerting them that the user may be in trouble.

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A Companion for the Solitary

The app's meteoric rise appears to be driven by a significant demographic shift. According to Chinese state media outlet Global Times, research suggests that by 2030, there may be up to 200 million one-person households in the country.

Moonscape Technologies, the company behind the software, positions the tool as a 'safety company companion,' explicitly targeting solo office workers, students living away from home, and those choosing a solitary lifestyle.

Social media users in China have echoed the necessity of such a tool. As gathered by the BBC, one user noted that introverts, the unemployed, and those suffering from depression are particularly vulnerable.

'There is a fear that people living alone might die unnoticed, with no one to call for help,' wrote another user. 'I sometimes wonder, if I died alone, who would collect my body?'

This anxiety is shared by Wilson Hou, a 38-year-old who works in Beijing, some 100km from his wife and child. Hou, who often sleeps on-site for work projects, downloaded the app immediately upon its release.

'I worry that if something happened to me, I could die alone in the place I rent and no one would know,' he explained. He has since set his mother as his emergency contact.

Controversy and Cultural Superstition

Despite its utility, the app has faced criticism regarding its name. In Chinese, the title 'Si-le-ma' is a dark play on words, mimicking the name of a popular food delivery app, 'E-le-ma' ('Are you hungry?').

For some, this bluntness is inauspicious; critics have argued that signing up for a service that asks whether you are dead might invite ill fortune. There have been calls to rebrand to something gentler, such as 'Are you ok?'

Moonscape Technologies has acknowledged these concerns and is currently weighing a potential name change. However, the controversy hasn't slowed its international growth. Listed globally as 'Demumu', it has ranked highly in paid utility charts in the US, Singapore and Australia, likely driven by the Chinese diaspora.

From Humble Beginnings to Commercial Success

The app's origins are as modern as its user base. It was developed in Zhengzhou by three founders born after 1995.

One founder, known as Mr Guo, revealed that the app cost a mere 1,000 yuan (£110) to build. Its value has since skyrocketed, with the team looking to sell a 10 per cent stake for one million yuan.

Now a paid service costing 8 yuan (approx. £0.85), the developers are looking to expand beyond the youth market. Recognising that over a fifth of China's population is over the age of 60, the company recently announced plans to design a product specifically for the elderly, urging society to ensure the older generation is 'seen, respected and protected.'