Amid falling marriage and birth rates and a growing number of people living alone in China, a new mobile app is drawing attention for tackling a sensitive but increasingly common fear: dying alone.
According to a report by The Guardian, the app, called Are You Dead?, is designed as a simple safety check-in tool for people living by themselves.
Developed by Moonscape Technologies, the app allows users to confirm their well-being once a day by tapping a large green button. If a user fails to check in for two consecutive days, the system automatically alerts a pre-selected emergency contact. The company describes the app as “a lightweight safety tool crafted for solo dwellers.”
The app’s launch comes at a time when social isolation is rising sharply in China. In 2024, only 6.1 million couples married — the lowest number on record — while 2.6 million couples divorced. Birth rates are also declining rapidly, and Chinese state media estimates that by 2030, the country could have nearly 200 million single-person households.
Users say the app offers emotional reassurance as much as practical safety. A user on RedNote, a platform popular among young women, described it as something that “makes people feel alive” and reflects the loneliness many young adults experience today. Mental health experts quoted in the report also suggest that such tools can help reduce anxiety by maintaining a minimal but meaningful connection with others.
One of the app’s co-founders, Ian Lü, said the idea originated from online discussions about hypothetical apps that could alert someone if a person went missing or passed away unnoticed. He also pointed to China’s demanding “996” work culture — working from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week — as a major contributor to stress and social disconnection. Lü hopes the app will encourage global attention toward the safety and well-being of people living alone.
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