"Are you dead?" An app for lonely Chinese people tops the charts

In China, an app called "Are you dead?" (Sileme in Chinese) has gone viral. It is designed for people living alone. It works as a simple safety tool—if the user does not log in for several days, it sends an alert to a contact they have selected in advance.

Its popularity has skyrocketed, prompting developers to rename the app to the global name Demumu and introduce a symbolic subscription fee. It currently ranks second among paid apps in the Apple Store.

Chinese media point out that there are more than 200 million single-member households in the country. Although some consider the name of the app controversial, many appreciate its practicality.

The internet community is also discussing more appropriate names such as "Are you online" or "Are you there." The app's creators are young developers born after 1995 who originally worked as a small independent team.

(reuters, pir)