Watchdog warns of privacy concerns with WiFi tracking

Companies and municipalities making use of WiFi tracking must make sure they honor the privacy of the people they track, the Personal Data Authority said on Thursday. The Authority felt it time to remind companies and municipalities of the rules as more and more are making use of WiFi tracking, Telegraaf reports.

Privacy protection rules for WiFi tracking include that data must be made anonymous as soon as possible and that must not be reversible. People should obviously also be informed that they are being tracked.

In WiFi tracking the unique identification number of a cellphone is identified using the phone's WiFi function. The movement of the phone can then be tracked. Store owners use it for example to see what route people take through a store. Municipalities use it to see the flow of people through a given area.