The FBI has launched a new app, its first mobile application, for parents to store and access pictures and other vital information about their children in case they ever go missing. The free Child ID app is only available for use on iPhones but the Federal Bureau of Investigation said there are plans to expand it to other types of mobile devices.
"In the unlikely event that your child goes missing, you can quickly email the photos and information to the authorities," the FBI said in a statement. The app includes tips on how to keep children safe, a checklist and a tab to easily email the secure information. Other features include guidance on what to do in the initial hours after a child goes missing, which the FBI says occurs every 40 seconds in the United States.
The agency also plans to add another feature that will enable users to upload other photos stored on their smartphone. It said all data on the smartphone will remain only on the device unless it is sent to the authorities. The app can be downloaded for free from the App Store on iTunes.