Dilek Bozkurt / Personal data that used to be swirling in hackers' secret forums is now a simple “panel” membership has fallen into the hands of children. All our information, from our Turkish ID number to our residence address, is offered for sale on websites with monthly subscriptions.
How Data Leaks?
The reason why personal data is so easily accessible is not a single major leak, but a combination of data leaked over the years from different organizations, e-commerce sites and healthcare systems. Malicious actors can modernize these huge piles of data (databases) and turn them into user-friendly search engines, i.e. “Query Panels” transforming it.
The Danger is Great
Especially among young people between the ages of 15 and 20 “show of force” these panels offer the following possibilities:
TC Identity Number Inquiry with Name-Surname: Access the entire family tree from just the name.
Address and GSM Information: Find out where the target person lives and their phone number in seconds.
E-School and Health Data: Access to children's school information and personal health history.
Land Registry and License Plate Information: Capturing clues about the economic situation.
The Criminal Economy: “Data” Trafficking
These systems are often marketed through illegal platforms or messaging apps (such as Telegram). Weekly, monthly or yearly packages are sold under the name “VIP membership”. Payments are usually made in hard-to-trace cryptocurrencies or digital wallets registered in someone else's name.
Cyberbullying
Young people who access this data use it as a weapon against their peers or strangers. Actions such as “ordering packages to your house”, “making false reports on your behalf” or “disclosing family information” constitute a new and much more dangerous dimension of cyberbullying.
“Under the Law on the Protection of Personal Data (KVKK), accessing, disseminating and storing such data are crimes punishable by heavy prison sentences. However, anonymity in the digital world encourages young people to commit these crimes.”
Is it Possible to Improve Personal Security?
While leaks are often system-driven, it is still possible to improve individual security:
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Use it for all your accounts (e-government, bank, social media).
Reduce Your Digital Footprint: Avoid giving your real information to every app or site that comes your way.
Judicial Process: As soon as you realize that your information has been shared or used on a panel, immediately file a criminal complaint with the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.
Attention Parents: Your Child May Be Becoming a “Cyber Criminal”!
“Query Panels”, which have emerged in the dark recesses of the digital world, have fallen into the hands of not only expert hackers but even children playing games. These systems, which can access all kinds of information about anyone with a small monthly subscription fee, have turned into a dangerous pastime among young people.
Recently, a subculture called “panelism” has emerged among young people. In this trend, which spreads through social media and gaming platforms, young people compete for superiority over each other by obtaining the personal data of others (Turkish ID, address, telephone, family chart).
How is your child being sucked into the swamp?
Playgroups: They buy panel membership to appear “powerful” on platforms like Discord or Telegram.
Cyberbullying: They put pressure on a peer they are arguing with by sharing their family's address or phone number to intimidate them (Doxing).
Easy Money Trap: Some young people are led to believe that they can make money by selling access to these panels or making “queries” on behalf of others.
Danger Signs Parents Need to Recognize
Undefined Payments: Small but regular outflows from digital wallets (Papara, Inal, cryptocurrency, etc.) to people or platforms you don't know.
Secret Chat Groups: Membership to groups with names like “Query”, “Panel”, “Check”, “Database” in Discord or Telegram.
The Language of Intimidation: Using threatening expressions such as “I know where you live” and “I have your ID number”.
Screen Hiding: Tabs with complex lists and tables of data that are quickly closed when you enter the room.
Heavy Legal Penalties!
Many young people see using these panels as a “game” or a “joke”. But the reality is very different:
“Unlawfully obtaining, disseminating or storing personal data may result in imprisonment from 2 to 6 years according to the Turkish Penal Code. Being under 18 years of age does not eliminate the fact that this crime has been committed and the risk of being recorded in the judicial record.”