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A Danish citizen has been found guilty of sharing nude scenes from copyrighted movies and TV series on the online platform Reddit.

According to a police report obtained by BBC News, the anonymous man posted 347 video excerpts of nude content in a Reddit group he managed, which were then viewed 4.2 million-plus times.

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

Experts explain the man was prosecuted under a seldom-invoked provision in Denmark's copyright law, with the judge ruling that by taking the scenes out of their intended setting, the accused had damaged the artists' "moral rights".

He has additionally been found guilty of sharing more than 25 TB of copyrighted data.

From March 2022 to May 2023, the man using the alias "KlammereFyr" on Reddit uploaded sexually explicit clips featuring over 100 female performers.

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

According to the Denmark's copyright protection group The Rights Alliance (TRA), his subreddit had more than 6,000 subscribers and users were prompted to request excerpts of particular performers.

In last year, advocates reported the case to the police on behalf of the impacted actors, directors and producers, which led to the subreddit being shut down.

One actress, one of the actresses whose explicit content were circulated in the group, explained to local broadcasters at the period she felt there was a difference between being seen unclothed in a film and being shown on Reddit.

The actress said the posts constituted "exploitation".

'A significant message'

The man was arrested in fall 2024 and admitted culpable to the allegations last month.

In a comment after the verdict, TRA head Maria Fredenslund remarked the outcome sent an "significant" message "that violations of artists' entitlements has repercussions".

The ruling is viewed as unique in Denmark for its application of the "ethical protections" clause of the Danish Copyright Act, which states an artist's creation cannot be used in a manner which infringes upon their reputation.

Copyright law expert Dr Alina Trapova informed the media the legal matter was "rare" for its focus on the damage to the integrity of an performer, rather than to them financially.

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

But she added there may be "more and more of these actions" in the future with the advancement of artificial intelligence, where "the sanctity of an individual's creative output might be compromised with greater ease".