Known in Chinese as Sileme, which translates to “Are You Dead,” the app describes itself as a lightweight safety tool for solo dwellers. According to its development team, it is intended for students, office workers living alone, and anyone choosing a solitary lifestyle. Users are required to set one emergency contact, and the app automatically sends alerts if the user fails to check in for consecutive days.
China may have as many as 200 million one-person households, with the proportion of people living alone exceeding 30 percent, according to the state-run Global Times. The app’s rapid rise has been seen by many as reflecting growing concerns around safety and isolation among solo residents.
In a post on its official account on Weibo on Tuesday, Sileme said it would adopt the global brand name Demumu in its upcoming version. The app has already appeared under the name Demumu on Apple App Store, where it is currently ranked second on the paid apps chart after briefly topping the list earlier in the week.
The developers said the team consists of three founders born after 1995 who independently created and operate the app. They announced on Sunday that an eight-yuan (about $1.15) payment scheme would be introduced to help cover rising operational costs. On the Apple App Store, Demumu is already priced at HK$8 for download.
The name change has sparked mixed reactions online. Some users urged the developers to keep the original title, while others suggested alternatives such as “Are You Alive,” “Are You Online,” or “Are You There.”
One user commented that while the name may be hard for more conservative people to accept, the app serves an important safety function. Another wrote that it helps unmarried people living alone feel more at ease about their daily lives.
