Loneliness can be deeply taxing for both the young and the elderly. In a rapidly changing society where many individuals live alone, a new app in China is drawing widespread attention for doing something both simple and unsettling: checking whether you are still alive.
The 'Are you dead?' app, called Sile me in Chinese, has gone viral across the country. While its name may sound morbid, the app has struck a chord with users who are living a solitary life.
How does it work?
Users are prompted to check in daily by tapping a button confirming their well-being. If they fail to do so for two consecutive days, the app automatically sends an email alert to the emergency contact selected by the user, with an intention to notify if a user becomes unreachable.
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According to The Independent, although Sile Me was launched last year as a free app, it recently entered the paid category and quickly climbed the charts. In the first week of January, it became the top-paid app in China.
Developers describe Sile Me as a “lightweight safety tool,” created specifically for people living alone. The app, they say, is meant to make solitary life feel more secure and reassuring rather than isolating.
Its success comes against the backdrop of major demographic shifts in China. A growing number of people are choosing to live alone instead of getting married. In 2023, China lost its position as the world’s most populous country to India and went on to record its third consecutive year of population decline in 2024.
