FBI accelerates the search for missing children with ‘FBI Child ID’ app

By Mike Flacy August 5, 2011

FBI-missing-child-app — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Titled the FBI Child ID app for the iPhone, the Federal Bureau of Investigation launched their first app today to help parents speed up the process of contacting the authorities in the event that a child goes missing. The app requires a mobile device with a camera and is compatible with the iPhone, iPad 2 and iPod Touch. The moment that a child vanishes, the parent can open the app and tap a couple buttons to contact the FBI, 911 or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Parents have to document vital stats about their child including height, weight, name, nicknames, ethnicity, date of birth, home address and a variety of other important information that assist police in locating the lost child. Parents also take a photo of the child with the mobile device and send that along with the stats. The FBI plans to add support for using pictures stored on the device, thus allowing parents to use photos taken with another camera and sent to the mobile device via email or a direct transfer. The app also contains tips about the best steps that a parent can take after losing a child.

The FBI stressed that data about the child isn’t stored by the organization or Apple. The only way information about the child can be viewed by the FBI is if the user of the application sends it. Beyond the iPhone, the FBI has plans to bring the application to other mobile devices including Android and BlackBerry phones. Another likely step with the application would be sending GPS data when parents transfer data to help local police forces locate the user of the app. Early criticism on the Apple App Store focuses on the lack of password protection on the app. Without password protection, it’s possible that a child’s data could mistakenly or maliciously be sent to the FBI resulting in a false police report.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Contributing Editor

By day, I'm the content and social media manager for High-Def Digest, Steve's Digicams and The CheckOut on Ben's Bargains…

Mobile

Our 5 favorite iPhone and Android apps by Black developers

An iPhone with apps from Black developers downloaded on it.

As we wrap up the celebration of 2023's Black History Month, it remains important to recognize and appreciate the contributions that Black people have made in various fields, including technology and the smartphone apps we use every day. From social media platforms to productivity tools, Black developers and other people of color have worked hard to create innovative, useful, and just plain fun apps.

Here, we're focusing on five helpful apps developed by Black people that you should check out. These iPhone and Android apps range from ones that help you discover and support Black-owned businesses to ones that provide legal assistance in case of an emergency to ones that curate and highlight sources of news and entertainment by Black creators.
We Read Too

Mobile

I review phones for a living — here are the 10 apps I can’t live without

iPhone 14 Pro with custom home screen on Mickey Mouse phone holder next to flowers

For most of my life, I think I’ve had a pretty unique career path among my family and friends. Ever since I got the original iPhone, I’ve turned my love for writing into writing about technology, specifically mobile phones. Though I’ve pretty much been iPhone-only for most of my career, since I started at Digital Trends, I’ve been opening up to the world of Android.

Now that I’m checking out both iPhone and Android phones, the world of apps for me has expanded quite a bit. But regardless of what device I’m using, there are some apps that I need before anything else. Here are the first apps that I install when I get a new phone.
1Password (iOS and Android)

Mobile

Sorry, but allowing third-party iPhone app stores is a bad idea

Apple Arcade page on the Apple Store as seen on the iPhone 14 Pro

Apple has always been known to have tight control over both its hardware and software, such as the iPhone and the iOS that powers it. However, it seems that the European Union continues to get more and more involved in regulating Apple’s most popular device, the iPhone.

So far, the EU has set a deadline for Apple to replace the Lightning port with USB-C by 2024, and more recently, it raised the possibility of opening up iOS to allow for sideloading and alternative app stores from third parties. Though this may seem like a good thing at first, I’m not so sure that’s entirely true. At the very least, it will cause some complications.
The App Store is a secure and trusted place