According to this article, Google has announced that, as part of its Street View services that, along with photographs of streets and such, it is going to also collect Wifi ESSID’s and Mac addresses as well, meaning that Google is now in the business of wardriving. This is starting in Germany, but it will assuredly happen in the United States as well. This in and of itself is not terribly troubling. I’m not certain how useful such information is really going to be. As I wardrive, I notice networks named after businesses and people, but quite often they are left at the default “Linksys” or “Netgear” names. SSIDs can be changed, and so can Mac Addresses.
What should be alarming to all is the that this is just another step in Google’s agenda to know everything it can about you. Google has made no secret of the company’s lack of respect for privacy, taking the “if there’s something you don’t want anyone to know about maybe you shouldn’t be doing it” position. It’s an old argument used to further erode our rights. People who want privacy obviously have something to hide.
What I propose is this. Everyone who reads this who owns a wireless router, change your SSID to “GoogleStinks” or “GooglehatesPrivacy”. Obviously, my readership will need to expand beyond 2 people for this to make a difference. 
David H.