"For years, the 46-year-old had lived in a one-bedroom apartment in Hongkou, a residential neighbourhood that sits along the Huangpu River. Neighbours described her as quiet. She rarely chats with people. We only see her when she goes to and from work, and occasionally when she comes out to pick up takeout, said a local resident interviewed by a Chinese reporter."
"For Xiong Sisi, also a professional in her 40s living alone in Shanghai, the news triggered uncomfortable feelings. I truly worry that, after I die, no one will collect my body. I don't care how I'm buried, but if I rot there, it's bad for the house, she says. So Xiong was intrigued when, a few weeks later, she saw an article about an app that had suddenly gone viral, called Are You Dead?"
"The app, which was released by a company called Moonscape Technologies last year, has surged in popularity in recent weeks, at one point becoming the most downloaded paid-for app in China. It took off after it was discovered by users on RedNote, a social media platform that is predominantly used by women. Are You Dead? describes itself as a lightweight safety tool crafted for solo dwellers."
A 46-year-old woman in Shanghai died alone after a short illness, leaving no spouse, children, or next of kin and sparking concern over uncollected bodies. Neighbours recalled her quiet, solitary life and the incident ignited public debate about how society should handle increasing numbers of people dying without heirs. Many solo residents expressed fear about being left uncollected. An app called Are You Dead? (Sileme) gained rapid popularity as a practical safety tool for solo dwellers, designed to alert contacts and ensure bodies and affairs are handled. The app was released by Moonscape Technologies and spread via RedNote.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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