A Chinese mobile application that alerts emergency contacts when users fail to check in has announced it will change its controversial name following a surge in global attention. The app, popularly known as “Are You Dead?”, climbed to the top of the paid apps chart on Apple’s App Store in China, attracting widespread coverage from both local and international media. Its original Mandarin name, “Sileme,” loosely translates to the blunt question that sparked online debate and curiosity.
Designed mainly for people who live alone, the app allows users to register an emergency contact by name and email address. If a user does not confirm their safety within a 48-hour window, the system automatically sends an alert to the listed contact, warning that something may be wrong. In a statement released on Tuesday evening, the developers announced that the app will now operate under a new global brand.
The developers noted that the app has seen rapid international growth since it was featured in a report by the BBC, followed by coverage from other global media outlets including AFP. While “Are You Dead?” was the name used in China, Demumu had already been adopted for the app’s overseas version.
The rebranding, however, has sparked mixed reactions online. Some users expressed disappointment, arguing that the app’s shocking name played a major role in its popularity. The original name “Sileme” was a wordplay inspired by Eleme, a popular Chinese food delivery platform. The app’s rise comes amid changing social trends in China, where official data shows that people living alone made up nearly 20 percent of all households in 2024, up from about 15 percent a decade earlier.
