A Chinese app designed for people who live alone has gone viral, tapping into deep-seated fears about dying unnoticed. The app, called Are You Dead? or Sileme, was released by Moonscape Technologies and has become one of the most downloaded paid-for apps in China after gaining traction on the social media platform RedNote.
Users must press a green button once a day to confirm they are alive. If they miss two consecutive days, the app automatically alerts a designated emergency contact. The name is a tongue-in-cheek play on China's ubiquitous takeaway app, Are You Hungry? (Eleme), but the company is now reconsidering the moniker and has invited users to suggest alternatives.
The app resonated with Xiong Sisi, a 43-year-old Shanghai professional who lives alone. "I truly worry that, after I die, no one will collect my body," she said. "I don't care how I'm buried, but if I rot there, it's bad for the house." Her anxiety grew after a recent illness that left her indoors for seven days. "I thought, 'Oh my God, if I died in this room, no one would even know,'" she recalled. Xiong lives more than 500 miles from her parents in Henan province, a generational shift from the traditional ancestral home.
Her fears reflect a broader loneliness crisis in China. In 2024, just 6.1 million couples married, a record low, while 2.6 million filed for divorce. Falling birthrates and an ageing population mean more people are living alone, with state media predicting 200 million single-person households by 2030. Intense work cultures and unemployment contribute to social isolation.
The death of Jiang Ting, a 46-year-old woman in Shanghai who died alone after a short illness just before Christmas, sparked national debate. With no parents, partner or children, her body was not discovered until neighbours noticed. Co-founder Ian Lü said the idea came from online discussions about a hypothetical service. "If you don't check in for 48 hours, someone will come and collect your body," he said. One RedNote user wrote: "This app makes people feel alive."
