Chinese app highlights loneliness among young peopleCEFR A2
30 Jan 2026
Adapted from Oiwan Lam, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by Sixteen Miles Out, Unsplash
An app called “Are You Dead Yet?” reached the top of China’s Apple App Store in January 2026. A three-person team built it in less than a month and its blunt name made it go viral.
The app asks users to give at least one emergency contact, set a check-in alarm and check in regularly. If a user misses two check-ins the app alerts the emergency contacts to check on them. Developers changed the official name to “Demumu” to sound less negative.
New registrations raised the app’s value and users pay a small fee to download it.
Difficult words
- viral — When many people see or share it fast
- blunt — Direct and not polite in words
- emergency contact — A person to call in a dangerous situationemergency contacts
- registration — When someone signs up or creates an accountregistrations
- raise — To make something become more valuableraised
- download — To copy a file or app to your device
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Would you give an emergency contact to an app like this? Why or why not?
- Do you think a blunt name can help a product become popular? Explain briefly.
- Would you pay a small fee to download an app that checks on you? Why or why not?
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