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A Denmark-based citizen has been convicted of uploading sexually explicit segments from protected films and television shows on the social media platform Reddit.

Based on a police report reviewed by media outlets, the unnamed man shared 347 clips of explicit scenes in a subreddit he managed, which were then viewed 4.2 million-plus times.

Danish authorities state he has been given a seven-month deferred jail term for violating copyright laws.

Experts say the man was prosecuted under a rarely-used clause in Denmark's copyright law, with the court ruling that by taking the footage out of their intended setting, the accused had harmed the performers' "moral rights".

He has also been found guilty of sharing more than 25 TB of protected digital content.

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

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

Per the Danish anti-piracy group the Rights Alliance, his subreddit had more than 6,000 subscribers and users were encouraged to request excerpts of particular actors.

In last year, advocates filed the case to the authorities on behalf of the affected actors, directors and producers, which resulted in the forum being closed down.

Andrea Vagn Jensen, among the actresses whose nude content were circulated in the community, told local broadcasters at the time she felt there was a difference between being seen naked in a film and appearing on Reddit.

The performer said the uploads constituted "abuse".

'A significant signal'

The man was arrested in fall 2024 and admitted culpable to the charges recently.

In a statement after the verdict, TRA head Maria Fredenslund remarked the outcome sent an "important" message "that infringements of artists' rights have consequences".

The verdict is considered unprecedented in the country for its use of the "ethical protections" section of the national copyright law, which states an creator's creation cannot be utilized in a way which infringes upon their standing.

Intellectual property expert Dr Alina Trapova informed BBC News the case was "unusual" for its emphasis on the damage to the integrity of an artist, rather than to them financially.

The extent to which the ruling could influence nations abroad is uncertain.

But she added there may be "an increasing number of these actions" in the future with the growth of AI, where "the integrity of an individual's creative output might be tempered with with greater ease".