China’s New Check-In App Gains Rapid Popularity (Full Transcript)

Name: China’s New Check-In App Gains Rapid Popularity
Uploaded: 2026-01-14T12:08:59+00:00
Channel: GoTranscript
Description: Dimumu alerts emergency contacts after missed check-ins, reflecting China’s surge in solo living and growing demand for safety and connection tools.

Dimumu alerts emergency contacts after missed check-ins, reflecting China’s surge in solo living and growing demand for safety and connection tools.

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[00:00:00] Speaker 1: Are you dead? Tap to confirm. There's a new app making waves here in China. It was first called Silema, meaning are you dead, but the name changed a few days ago to Dimumu. Its purpose is straightforward. It's a daily check-in tool for people who live alone. So here's how it works. This is the app. This is all of it. And if you don't press this green button after two days, an emergency contact you've pre-selected gets an alert. And then we hope that person checks in with you, potentially visits, just to make sure that you're okay. It recently became the most downloaded paid app on China's Apple App Store. So why is an app like this, created by just three people, suddenly so popular? Well, China's society is undergoing a major shift. More people are living alone, especially in urban areas. Chinese research estimates that by 2030, the number of people living alone in China is expected to reach 150 million to 200 million people.

[00:01:04] Speaker 2: An app or a piece of technology like this can prevent one person from dying alone or from taking their own life. And to have just one small piece of connection, of course, that is a positive.

Summary

A new Chinese app, originally called “Silema” (“Are you dead?”) and now renamed “Dimumu,” has become the top paid download on China’s Apple App Store. Designed for people who live alone, it requires users to tap a daily check-in button; if they fail to do so for two days, a pre-selected emergency contact is alerted to check on them. The app’s popularity reflects China’s growing number of single-person households, projected to reach 150–200 million people living alone by 2030, and highlights technology’s role in preventing deaths in isolation and offering minimal but meaningful social connection.

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Title

China’s viral “Are you dead?” check-in app reflects a rise in living alone

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Keywords

China

Dimumu

Silema

check-in app Remove

living alone Remove

emergency contact Remove

Apple App Store Remove

urbanization Remove

aging society Remove

social isolation Remove

mental health Remove

suicide prevention Remove

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Key Takeaways

Dimumu is a simple daily check-in app that alerts an emergency contact after two days of inactivity.
The app quickly became the most downloaded paid app on China’s Apple App Store despite being made by a small team.
Its popularity signals growing concern about social isolation as more Chinese people live alone, especially in cities.
China may see 150–200 million people living alone by 2030, increasing demand for safety and connection tools.
Even minimal technological touchpoints can help prevent people from dying alone and may support mental health.

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Sentiments

Neutral: The tone is largely informational, describing the app’s function and societal context, with a cautiously hopeful note about the potential to prevent deaths and reduce isolation.

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