Interview: Behind the Real Mug Shot iPhone App

The iPhone app Busted! Real Mugshots serves up police pics from around the US with full names, birth date, age, arrest date/time plus the offending crime.

Dubbed “Facebook for criminals” by a pithy CoM reader, the app, offered gratis on iTunes, launched January 11, generating controversy faster than an ACLU lawyer can say “FOIA.”

Cult of Mac talked to Jeff Jolley, president of the app’s maker Fountain Dew.

He told us about getting the app approved (easier than you’d think), the “bad karma” aspect, and more importantly, how to get your mugshot removed after that artsy late-night prank ended in tears.

CoM: How did you get the idea?

Jeff Jolley: We read an article on the popularity of mugshot pages on newspaper websites
and thought that could be extended, in a more interesting, mobile and viral manner, to the iPhone.

CoM: How do you get the photos?

JJ: We search the Internet for publicly available (and regularly updated) mugshots, and then make them available for use in the app.  We continue to look for new sources to expand the available repository of mugshots.

CoM: Are the mugshots storeable and searchable?

JJ: Not at this point.  You always stream the photos and you always start with the most recent mugshot available.  This could be a good future feature.

CoM: What’s in the next release?

JJ: We will probably add the ability pick up with the last mugshot you were viewing, instead of always starting at the beginning when you come back to the app.

If you’ve been looking at mugshots for an hour and then get a phone call, you come back to the app at the newest mugshot.  Voting on your favorite mugshots, being able to access your favorite mugshots quickly, and being able to see everyone else’s votes in the world are coming soon along with several other features.

CoM: There’s a “hide me” link on your website, what’s that about?

JJ: We will remove anyone whose mugshot has appeared on the app from our
database upon request.

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CoM: What was the app approval process like?

JJ: It was a 5-month process.  Not the easiest release we’ve ever had, but it’s
out there now.  We have seen improvements over this time period, so it’s good now.

CoM: Any complaints so far?

JJ: No user complaints on functionality at all.  Some of the reviews and tweets
on the product have been about “bad karma” and that we should feel bad about creating this app.

We won’t speak to the karma thing, but mugshots have been sold in standalone publications and featured on websites for years.

This a great app. Controversial? Sure.  But it keeps users engaged by providing a continual stream of fresh, often fascinating, but never dull content.

CoM: Any other upcoming projects?
JJ: We have an Android version coming out, plus some other law
enforcement-related apps.

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