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A Denmark-based citizen has been found guilty of sharing sexually explicit segments from copyrighted movies and television shows on the online platform Reddit.

According to a law enforcement document obtained by BBC News, the unnamed man posted 347 clips of nude content in a subreddit he moderated, which were then watched 4.2 million-plus times.

Danish police state he has been given a 7-month suspended sentence for copyright infringement.

Legal analysts explain the man was charged under a seldom-invoked clause in Danish intellectual property legislation, with the judge ruling that by taking the footage out of their intended setting, the accused had harmed the performers' "moral rights".

He has additionally been convicted of distributing more than 25 terabytes of copyrighted data.

From spring 2022 to mid-2023, the user known as "KlammereFyr" on Reddit posted adult clips featuring over 100 actresses.

He shared them in the forum he was a moderator of.

According to the Danish anti-piracy organization The Rights Alliance (TRA), his online community had more than 6,000 subscribers and users were encouraged to ask for clips of particular actors.

In 2023, advocates reported the case to the authorities on behalf of the affected actors, directors and producers, which resulted in the subreddit being closed down.

Andrea Vagn Jensen, among the performers whose explicit scenes were circulated in the community, told local broadcasters at the time she felt there was a difference between appearing unclothed in a film and being shown on Reddit.

The actress said the posts constituted "abuse".

'A significant message'

The defendant was arrested in September 2024 and pleaded guilty to the allegations last month.

In a statement after the verdict, the head of the Rights Alliance Maria Fredenslund said the outcome sent an "significant" message "that violations of artists' rights have repercussions".

The ruling is considered unprecedented in the country for its use of the "ethical protections" section of the national copyright law, which states an creator's work cannot be utilized in a way which violates their reputation.

Intellectual property expert a legal scholar informed the media the case was "unusual" for its focus on the harm to the integrity of an performer, rather than to them financially.

The extent to which the ruling could affect other countries is uncertain.

But she said there may be "more and more of these actions" in the coming years with the advancement of artificial intelligence, where "the integrity of an individual's work might be tempered with with greater ease".