Are You Dead?: The viral Chinese app for young people living alone
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3381r5nnn6o
Excerpt:
A new bleak-sounding app has taken China by storm.
Named Are You Dead? the concept is simple. You need to check in with it every two days – clicking a large button – to confirm that you are alive. If not, it will get in touch with your appointed emergency contact and inform them that you may be in trouble.
It was launched in May last year to not much fanfare but attention around it has exploded in recent weeks with many young people, who live alone in Chinese cities, downloading it in droves.
This has propelled it to become the most downloaded paid app in the country.
According to research institutions, there may be up to 200 million one-person households in China by 2030, Chinese state media outlet Global Times reports.
And it’s those people that the app - which describes itself as a “safety company companion... whether you’re a solo office worker, a student living away from home, or anyone choosing a solitary lifestyle” - is trying to target.
“People who live alone at any stage of their life need something like this, as do introverts, those with depression, the unemployed and others in vulnerable situations,” said one user on Chinese social media.
“There is a fear that people living alone might die unnoticed, with no one to call for help. I sometimes wonder, if I died alone, who would collect my body?” said another.
.....The app, which is listed internationally under the name Demumu, ranks in the top two in the US, Singapore and Hong Kong, and top four in Australia and Spain for paid utility apps - possibly driven by Chinese users living overseas.
The current name is a word play on a successful food delivery app called “Are you Hungry?”. In Chinese, “Si-le-ma” sounds like the name of the food app “E-le-ma”.
First launched as a free app, the app has now made its way into the paid category - albeit at the low price of 8 yuan ($1.15; £0.85).
Little is known about the founders of Are You Dead?, but they say they are three people who were born after 1995 who built the app from Zhengzhou in Henan with a small team.
It has certainly grown in value now. One of these men, who goes by the name Mr Guo, told Chinese media that they intended to raise money by selling 10% of the company for a million yuan. That is a lot more than the 1,000 yuan ($140) they say it cost to build the app.
And they’re also looking to grow their target audience - saying they are exploring the idea of a new product specifically designed for the elderly in a country where over one-fifth of its population is over the age of 60.
In an indication that it was seriously looking at this option, it posted over the weekend, “we would like to call on more people to pay attention to the elderly who are living at home, to give them more care and understanding. They have dreams, strive to live, and deserve to be seen, respected and protected.”
Calgarians gather to sign Alberta independence petition as data suggests sovereignty support is growing
https://calgary.citynews.ca/2026/01/12/calgary-alberta-independence-petition/
Excerpt:
The citizen-initiative petition on Alberta independence has started collecting signatures and made a stop in Calgary over the weekend, as new data shows more Albertans are in favour of separation.
The petition was approved by Elections Alberta in December and its campaign is now holding events across the province to gather signatures.
In the southeast Calgary community of Queensland Saturday, a line to sign stretched out a community centre and down the block.
“We’re seeing this across the province. We had similar footage of Red Deer this afternoon as well. All of our other events outside of Calgary have been at capacity and all we can do to process the signatures,” said Gregory Hartzler, CFO of the Stay Free Alberta Campaign.
“What about my pension, what about Canada pension; and what about the state of being landlocked and what do we do, how do we make money if we’re landlocked?” a panelist at Saturday’s event asked.
The petition asks: “Do you agree that the Province of Alberta should cease to be a part of Canada to become an independent state?”
“I’m just tired of the political climate — tired of the current federal government trying to take away my right to make money, my freedoms and everything else. It’s time to stand up and do something about it,” said petition supporter Tim Burrell.
Burrell works in oil and gas. He’s from Nova Scotia and moved to Alberta more than a decade ago.
“I have family that are upset with me for my views. They are upset that I want to separate, and I think it’s the right thing to do – for Canada and Alberta. It will get other provinces to actually do something about it when the gravy train stops,” he said.
Tracie Taylor, who also supports the cause, says separating from Canada is what’s needed to provide for citizens.
“Realistically, independence and separation from Canada for me looks like taking care of own backyard. We’ll take care of our seniors, take care of our health care, take care of our children, give a brighter future to our children, line our pockets with the hardworking money that we have and support out industries and support our people,” she told CityNews. “So I think it’s about time we start giving our own province back rather that giving to the rest of the country.”
Data released by Research Co. last week says the proportion of Albertans who are in favour of sovereignty has increased over the last 18 months.
It says an online survey found 31 per cent of Albertans support the province becoming independent. This is up nine points from data collected by the agency in June 2023.
Support for Alberta independence rose across the province — an increase of five per cent in the Calgary Metropolitan Area to 31 per cent and 34 per cent support it in Edmonton Metropolitan Area, up five per cent.