Viral Chinese app ‘Are You Dead’ to get a new name? Here's what we know | Today News

The viral Chinese application “Are You Dead?” will hit international markets with a different name after widespread criticism on social media, according to a Reuters report.

The app, called Sileme in Chinese, reportedly targets people living alone. According to the development team, the app is a “lightweight safety tool created for solo dwellers” — from students, to solo office workers or “anyone choosing a solitary lifestyle”.

After a surge in downloads earlier this week, the company introduced a subscription fee and changed its name for a global audience.

“After extensive consideration, the Sileme app will officially adopt the global brand name ‘Demumu’ in its forthcoming new release,” the company said in an official statement.

According to an AFP report, the international version of the app was already called “Demumu”.

“Thanks to all netizens for their enthusiastic support. We were originally just an unknown small team, co-founded and operated independently by three born after 1995,” Sileme said.

“Moving forward, Demumu will remain steadfast in its founding mission of safeguarding safety, bringing China-originated protection solutions to the world and serving more solitary individuals globally,” the company's statement added.

Reuters said that the app is already called Demumu on Apple's paid app chart, where it is currently sitting at number two after surging to the top earlier in the week.

On Apple's App Store, Demumu was already charging ₹93 to download the app.

The “Are You Dead?” app requires setting up one emergency contact and sends automatic notifications if the user has not checked in via the app for consecutive days.

According to the Global Times, China may have up to 200 million one-person households, with a solo living rate exceeding 30%. The app will reportedly launch an 8 yuan ( ₹104) payment scheme to help cover increasing costs.

The name “Sileme” was a play on the name of a popular food delivery app “Eleme,” reported AFP.

According to the official data, in 2024, people who lived alone accounted for around one-fifth of all Chinese households, compared to 15% a decade earlier.

Netizens on social media platforms, including Weibo, called on Sileme not to change its name, while others suggested options like “Are you alive,” “Are you online” or “Are you there”.

"Maybe some conservative people can't accept it," said one user, but it is helpful for safety purposes. "It will make us unmarried people feel more at ease to spend our lives."