The new Chinese App for single people that asks if you’re dead yet and the importance of a God-created community

Writer Jenny Sanders explores what our global obsession with apps reveals about a deeper human longing for connection. From the rise of social media to China’s starkly named Are You Dead? app, she reflects on loneliness, community and God’s design for meaningful relationships.

There are over two million. mostly free, apps available globally from the online App Store today. In the UK, the most popular are still TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp with Chat GPT rising in demand. It’s a different story elsewhere. In China, where users need to pay for it, the brutally named, Are You Dead? which launched last year, has become the most downloaded App.

Designed for people living alone, the premise is simple. Every couple of days the user clicks a button registering that they’re active. Having nominated an emergency contact number, that person is alerted if the button hasn’t been activated after a specified period. They’re prompted to check in on their friend/relative/employee – a lifeline for those living far from family and friends, those prone to depression or who fear falling ill, and for vulnerable people who have minimal contact with others.