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A Denmark-based man has been convicted of sharing sexually explicit segments from copyrighted movies and television shows on the social media platform Reddit.

Based on a law enforcement document reviewed by media outlets, the unnamed individual posted 347 clips of explicit content in a Reddit group he moderated, which were then watched 4.2 million times.

Danish police state he has been given a seven-month suspended jail term for copyright infringement.

Legal analysts explain the defendant was charged under a rarely-used provision in Danish copyright law, with the court finding that by taking the footage out of their original context, the accused had harmed the performers' "moral rights".

He has also been convicted of sharing more than 25 terabytes of protected data.

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

He distributed them in the subreddit he was a moderator of.

Per the Danish anti-piracy organization the Rights Alliance, his online community had more than 6,000 subscribers and participants were encouraged to ask for excerpts of particular actors.

In 2023, advocates reported the case to the authorities on behalf of the affected artists, directors and production companies, which led to the forum being closed down.

One actress, among the performers whose explicit scenes were shared in the community, told Danish media at the period she felt there was a difference between being seen naked in a film and appearing on Reddit.

The performer said the posts constituted "abuse".

'A significant message'

The man was arrested in September 2024 and pleaded guilty to the allegations recently.

In a comment after the verdict, the head of the Rights Alliance the organization's leader remarked the outcome sent an "significant" signal "indicating violations of creators' entitlements have repercussions".

The verdict is viewed as unique in Denmark for its application of the "moral rights" clause of the national copyright law, which states an creator's creation cannot be utilized in a way which violates their reputation.

Intellectual property expert a legal scholar told the media the case was "unusual" for its emphasis on the damage to the dignity of an performer, rather than to them financially.

How the case could affect other countries is uncertain.

But she added there may be "an increasing number of such cases" in the coming years with the growth of AI, where "the sanctity of one's creative output might be tempered with much more easily".