Popular Chinese ‘Are You Dead?’ Safety App Changes Name

Some people who live alone don’t always stay in contact with their families and friends on a daily basis. That’s the reason for an app created by Chinese company Moonscape Technologies, which requires users to check in regularly to reassure their emergency contact that all is well. Now, the company has changed the app’s original name, Sileme, which bluntly translated to “Are You Dead?” According to Global Times, the company announced the new name, Demumu, on Tuesday on the Weibu app. The new name is still partially derived from a Chinese word meaning death.

The original name was a play on the name of a popular Chinese food delivery app, Ele.me, which translates to “Are you hungry?” But when the app drew worldwide attention on Monday, the company announced the name change. 

Not everyone was a fan of the new name. Global Times cites one online commenter as saying, “The reason you went viral was your original name.”

Whatever name it goes by, the personal safety app, launched in 2025, is designed to serve as a safety net for individuals living alone, particularly those who may be less mobile or have health issues.

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“We wanted to build something that works invisibly in the background of people’s lives — not intrusive or complicated, just a simple tap each day that says ‘I’m OK’ to the people who care,” a spokesperson for Demumu said in a statement.

Demumu currently holds the top spot among the most popular paid apps in China and is just as sought after in Spain, Singapore, Hong Kong, the United States and Australia. Demumu is available for iOS and costs 99 cents as a one-time purchase. 

Of course, you could just reach out to your loved one via phone or text daily for free, but the app offers a kind of forced reminder in case you forget.