Earlier this year, the Dutch DPA imposed a penalty order on Google to create an opt-out possibility in order to allow everyone to oppose the collection of data about their WiFi router. In addition, Google was ordered to inform the general public about this possibility in popular newssites and in nation wide newspapers, Google now offers users world wide this opt out possibility. By changing his or her SSID, the user sees to it that his or her WiFi-data are removed from Google’s database. Users just have to add '_nomap' to their SSID. Google has informed the users today through advertisements in nation-wide newspapers and other media. The Dutch DPA has not yet established in detail that all of its requirements have been met.
The Dutch DPA had issued the administrative orders following an investigation which showed that between 4 March 2009 and 6 May 2010, Google collected data concerning 3,6 million WiFi routers, secured as well as unsecured, in the Netherlands with the use of its Street View cars. The company also calculated the geolocation for each of those routers. In doing so, Google contravened the Dutch Data Protection Act. In the given context, MAC adresses combined with a calculated geolocation are personal data, because the data can provide information about the router’s owner.