FBI unveils first iPhone app, 'Child ID'

With smartphones continuing to grow in popularity, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is tapping such gadgets to help locate missing children. The FBI has released a "Child ID" app that can electronically store photos and vital information about one's children. "Our just launched Child ID app—the first mobile application created by the FBI—provides a convenient place to electronically store photos and vital information about your children so that it’s literally right at hand if you need it. You can show the pictures and provide physical identifiers such as height and weight to security or police officers on the spot," the FBI said in a news release. A special tab on the app, can help quickly and easily e-mail the information to authorities with a few clicks, it added. The app also includes tips on keeping children safe as well as specific guidance on what to do in those first few crucial hours after a child goes missing. While it is initially available for Apple Inc.'s iPhone, the FBI said it is working on versions for other platforms. "Right now, the Child ID app is only available for use on iPhones and can only be downloaded for free from the App Store on iTunes, but we plan to expand this tool to other types of mobile devices in the near future. And we’ll be adding new features—including the ability to upload other photos stored on your smart phone—in the coming weeks and months," it said. For now, it encouraged parents to share the word about this app with family and friends, especially during upcoming activities in communities to raise awareness on crime and drug prevention. The FBI also said it is working to publicize the app with the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA)—its long-time partner in the National Child Identification Program, which provides a physical kit to gather your child’s pictures, fingerprints, personal characteristics, and even DNA to keep with you in case of emergency. The AFCA is producing a public service announcement about the app and will spread the word at various football games during the upcoming season, it added. No data collection The FBI stressed that neither it nor iTunes is collecting or storing any photos or information that a parent enters into the app. "All data resides solely on your mobile device unless you need to send it to authorities. Please read your mobile provider’s terms of service for information about the security of applications stored on your device," it said. — TJD, GMA News