A morbidly named mobile app has climbed to the top of Apple's paid charts in China, highlighting the deep isolation felt by many living alone. The 'Are You Dead?' app, known as Sile Me in Chinese, requires users to check in daily by tapping a green button with a cartoon ghost. If a user fails to check in for two consecutive days, the system automatically sends an email to their chosen emergency contact.
Launched last year as a free app, Sile Me moved into the paid category and became the top paid app in China in the first week of January, costing 8 yuan (£0.85). It provides a sense of security to millions of people living alone. Internationally listed as Demumu, it has also surged into the top two paid utility apps in the US, Singapore and Hong Kong, largely driven by Chinese immigrants.
Living alone in China can be deeply isolating, fuelling anxieties about dying unnoticed. The country is projected to have 200 million one-person households by 2030. An increasing number of young Chinese are choosing to live alone rather than marry, while many elderly people are left isolated without relatives nearby. China recorded its third consecutive year of population decline in 2024, with birthrates declining due to the one-child policy, rapid urbanisation, high childcare costs, job uncertainty, and traditional gender expectations.
The app's developers, a small startup of three co-founders born after 1995, expressed gratitude for the attention. The viral surge triggered a more than 100-fold spike in downloads, driving up server load and operating costs. One co-founder, Mr Guo, said the app was built for just over 1,000 yuan (£106), but they now intend to sell 10 per cent of the company to raise 1 million yuan (£10,600). Another co-founder, Mr Lyu, said target users are young people living alone in big cities, especially women around 25, who experience loneliness and worry about unforeseen events.
While widely praised, the app also drew criticism for its ominous name. A user from Sichuan suggested renaming it 'Are You Alive'. The team plans to roll out new features, including messaging tools and elderly-friendly functions, and is considering renaming the app.
