Consultancy on digital platforms, personal data, internet and technology law.
Information technology law covers disputes arising from computers, phones, social media, online payment systems, digital platforms, and personal data. The technical event and legal qualification are often intertwined. Actions taken in the first hours of incidents such as account hijacking, fake sites, data breaches, or online defamation can affect the preservation of evidence.
Attorney Ahmet Emre Çimen examines the timeline of the digital event, the accounts used, payment transactions, and platform records together in information technology law cases. Criminal complaints, content removal, personal data applications, and compensation options are individually planned according to the nature of the case.
Which Disputes Does Information Technology Law Cover?
Unauthorized access to information systems and account hijacking
Fake sites, phishing, and online fraud
Misuse of bank or card information
Illegal recording or sharing of personal data
Insults, threats, and blackmail via social media
Requests for content removal and access blocking
Digital contract and e-commerce disputes
Domain name, trademark, and online reputation issues
First Steps to Take After a Cyber Incident
Ensure account and device security, change passwords from a secure device
Notify the bank or payment institution without delay
Record not only screenshots but also the link, date, username, and transaction numbers
Submit an official notification to platforms and service providers
Obtain legal and technical support without deleting evidence or resetting the device
Deleting messages in panic, resetting the device, or engaging in long negotiations with a suspicious person can lead to loss of evidence. The integrity of the existing data must be preserved while taking security measures.
Fake Website and Phishing Fraud
Fake shopping, shipping, banking, or investment sites can mimic the appearance of real platforms. Domain name, payment account, advertising registration, messaging, and forwarding addresses are important. If a money transfer has been made, notification to the bank and a legal application should be evaluated on the same day.
Legal Value of Digital Evidence
The source, integrity, method of acquisition, and connection to the person are important for digital evidence. A single screenshot can be easily altered or taken out of context. URL, date, account information, email metadata, payment record, and platform response, if possible, should be preserved together.
IncidentData to be protectedInitial notification
Account takeoverLogin alerts and emailsPlatform and law enforcement
Fake siteURL, payment, and correspondenceBank, platform, and prosecutor's office
Data leakNotification, log, and affected dataData controller and relevant authorities
Insult or threatProfile, connection, and sharingPlatform and judicial authority
Card transactionStatement and transaction codeBank and judicial authority
Protection of Personal Data
In the processing of personal data, legal grounds, purpose limitation, retention period, and security measures are evaluated. The relevant person can apply to the data controller and use complaint channels before the Personal Data Protection Authority according to their circumstances. Illegal data sharing may also give rise to criminal or compensation liability.
Content Removal and Online Reputation
Not all negative content is unlawful. A balance is established between the right to personality, private life, the right to inform, and freedom of expression. By examining the source, timeliness, public interest, and accuracy of the content, platform application, response and correction, access blocking, or legal action options are evaluated.
Preventive IT Law for Companies
Access rights of companies, employee exit procedures, data breach plans, disclosure texts, retention arrangements, and supplier contracts should be prepared in advance. Technical security and legal compliance are not alternatives to each other.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a screenshot alone considered evidence?
It can be assessed; however, it is safer to present it together with other records that support its source and integrity.
I sent money to a fake website, what should I do?
The bank should be notified without delay; URL, payment, and communication records should be preserved, and a judicial application should be considered.
Can a user be found even if the social media account is closed?
Access to platform and access records depends on the conditions of the incident, the time elapsed, and the requests of the relevant authorities.
Will the content about me be removed immediately?
The nature of the content and the legal basis are examined; the same method and duration do not apply to every content.
Is only the company responsible in a data breach?
The obligations of the data controller, the data processor, and the individuals involved in the incident are evaluated separately according to the specific process.
In IT disputes, evidence can change or disappear quickly. Lawyer Ahmet Emre Çimen addresses the criminal, private law, and personal data aspects holistically by planning the order of legal applications together with the protection of technical records.