‘Are you dead?’: New app for single living goes viral in China

An app called “Are you dead” targeted at people living alone has gone viral in China, Reuters writes.

The app called Sileme in Chinese, which translates to “Are you dead?” in English, is a safety tool created for solo dwellers.

After registering in the app, the user must designate one emergency contact. Then, every two days, the user is required to log into the app and press a special button to confirm that they are alive. If they fail to do so, the app contacts the designated emergency contact to notify them that the user may be in trouble.

The app was launched in May last year. Until now, it had not attracted much attention, but in recent weeks interest in it has surged, with many young people living alone in Chinese cities downloading it en masse. As a result, it has become the country’s most downloaded paid app.

Studies say China could have up to 200 million one-person households by 2030.