'Dead Yet?' App Relaunched as 'You There?' After Public Feedback, Now Trialed in Hangzhou

A once-viral app that bluntly asked users "Dead Yet?" has been rebranded as "You There? You There?" following widespread public input, and is now being piloted in Nanxing Subdistrict in Hangzhou.

The original application, launched in January by a three-person team born in the mid-1990s on a shoestring budget of just 1,500 yuan (US$221), gained instant attention for its raw approach to safety check-ins. Designed primarily for people living alone, the app allowed users to set regular check-ins and would automatically alert designated contacts if no response was received within a preset time.

The blunt name struck a nerve, reflecting a deep anxiety among solitary residents: the fear that something might go wrong, and no one would know.

In response to public feedback, the platform has now been upgraded and renamed "You There? You There?" – a softer, more reassuring safety guardian platform. It is being trialed first in Nanxing Subdistrict, a community with a high proportion of elderly residents.

The revamped "You There? You There?" app incorporates age-friendly design principles, including large fonts, a simplified interface, minimal operations, and high fault tolerance. Elderly users can register with basic information and then complete a daily, seamless safety check-in using their smartphones.

If no check-in is recorded for two consecutive days, the system automatically alerts the user's adult children or emergency contacts. The app also includes a one-touch SOS feature for immediate help.

For seniors without smartphones, the subdistrict and platform have introduced a physical "Safety Button" – a small device that can be worn or placed within easy reach. In an emergency, pressing it instantly notifies both designated guardians and local community safety officers.