Viral app bares 'safety anxiety' among solo dwellers

For Li Wan, a 25-year-old living alone in East China's Shandong province, the blunt question "Are you dead?" wasn't an insult, but rather an 8-yuan ($1.14) investment in peace of mind.

Li is one of thousands of young professionals driving a viral surge for "Sileme" — translated as "Are You Dead?" — a minimalist safety app that has recently dominated the paid charts on China's Apple App Store. The app, branded as Demumu in its English version, requires no login or personal data; users simply tap a "check in today" button once a day. If they miss their check-in for consecutive days, the system automatically emails a designated emergency contact.

"I downloaded it because the name was amusing," said Li, who has lived alone for over a year and is often on the receiving end of her mother's concerns about lack of communication. "With the app, my mom will receive an email and can reach me if I don't check in. It enhances communication with my family."

The app's sudden popularity highlights a growing "safety anxiety" among China's solo dwellers. According to the 2025 China Statistical Yearbook, single-person households now account for approximately 20 percent of the country's sampled population. Industry forecasts from Beike Research Institute suggest this demographic could swell to between 150 million and 200 million people by 2030.

Developed by three Gen Z creators in just one month, the app was born from social media discussions about the risks of living alone. One of the developers, surnamed Guo, noted the user base has increased 50-fold since its launch.

Guo said the cost of developing the app, about 1,000 yuan, has been recovered and the team plans to add the function of text messaging in the near future.

While some users have criticized the name as "ominous" or "blunt", suggesting alternatives like "Are You Alive?" or "Are You Okay?", Guo argues the name is direct and reflects a shifting cultural attitude. Younger generations, he says, are becoming less hesitant about discussing mortality.

Some copycat apps with names such as "Huozheme", or "Are You Alive?" have already sprung up.

The success of Sileme reflects a broader social trend where technology and community initiatives are stepping in to replace traditional family safety nets.

In Taiyuan, Shanxi province, community workers have launched a "curtain signal" initiative where elderly residents indicate they are safe by opening their curtains every morning. Meanwhile, on social media platforms like Douban, female solo dwellers have formed mutual aid communities to trade services like appliance repairs and furniture assembly, avoiding the need to invite strangers into their homes.

Wen Jun, a professor of social sciences at East China Normal University, emphasized that while apps like Sileme provide a starting point, they are not a complete solution. He argues that the government and local communities must work together to establish an "online-offline synergy" that ensures no one, whether young or old, is left truly alone in an emergency.

For now, the developers of Sileme say they are considering a name change to address user feedback, even as the app continues to trend under its provocative original title.

Zhu Xingxin contributed to this story.