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Ankara's 4th Court of Intellectual and Industrial Property Rights has ruled that Netflix must pay math teacher Mustafa Guler $42,255 in compensation after finding the platform used his images without permission.
The court ordered Netflix to pay $38,990 in copyright damages and $3,250 in moral damages, both with advance interest accruing from May 2, 2023. The court partially accepted Guler's claims, rejecting demands beyond the awarded amounts.
With accrued interest, the total payment could approach $86,680, according to statements by Guler's legal team.
Guler, a Turkish math teacher with a large social media following known for making mathematics accessible to students, filed suit against Netflix after discovering the platform had used footage of him without authorization. He said a student first drew his attention to the unauthorized use.
"I would have expected an apology," Guler said, referring to Netflix's conduct.
In a statement shared on his social media accounts, Guler described the case as significant beyond his personal situation: "This legal process has not only been an individual case for me; it has been an important legal process in which the responsibilities of digital platforms toward content creators, educators and rights holders have also been debated."
Guler said he maintained confidence in the legal system throughout the three-year process. "I believe the decision is a meaningful development for everyone who works, produces and seeks their rights through legal channels," he said.
He thanked his attorney, Omer Ugur Yanar, for his work throughout the proceedings.
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