Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has released an iPhone app called FBI Child ID. The app lets people search for missing kids in case of the eventuality. FBI app is a free download and works on iPhone and iPad. This happens to be FBI’s first app.
How exactly does the app help?
The app is a information collection system with few frills added on it. The app lets you add information about each child with the picture, name, address, identification marks and few other details. There is no limit on the number of children that can be added. Once the information is in place, if and when the child is found missing, the intention is to open up the app and send an email to an ‘email address’. The app immediately converts all the information in to a nice email and sends to recipient.
The app also has a feature to call 911 or National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). There are Safety tips and Checklist on how to use the app when needed. The Checklists section provides great information on what should be done in the first 24 hours and the second 24 hours. It also has a great list of resources linking to various useful website. FBI has plans to release this app for other smartphone platforms. FBI claims that it doesn’t store any information.
A novel and truly useful app.
2 suggestions for the app :
- When the Send button is clicked on, there is no To email address which is pre-filled. If the email address of a government agency is pre-filled, it would have really been a great help. One can always add additional email addresses but a pre-filled address would be helpful.
- The app doesn’t let the user to browse through and use a picture which is already taken. It insists on taking a picture and using it. Not sure why it was done this way.
FBI Child ID app is a nice initiative to plan for an emergency. Remember that this app is not an app which can help you after the event has happened.
iTunes link
