Are you dead? The morbid app taking China by storm
What to know about the Are you dead? app
- A mobile app named Are You Dead? (Sile Me in Chinese) has become the top paid app in China, providing a daily check-in system that notifies an emergency contact if a user fails to respond for two consecutive days.
- The app, also known internationally as Demumu, has seen a surge in popularity in the US, Singapore, and Hong Kong, largely driven by Chinese immigrants.
- Its success reflects growing anxieties about living alone in China, where single-person households are increasing and are projected to reach 200 million by 2030.
- This trend is influenced by factors such as the legacy of the “one-child policy”, declining birth rates, high costs of living, and relatively low national welfare spending.
- Developed by a small, independent startup, the team plans to introduce new features and is considering renaming the app, which has received some criticism for its morbid title.