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A Denmark-based citizen has been found guilty of sharing sexually explicit segments from copyrighted movies and TV series on the online site Reddit.

Based on a law enforcement report obtained by media outlets, the anonymous individual posted 347 video excerpts of nude content in a Reddit group he moderated, which were then watched 4.2 million-plus times.

The country's authorities confirm he has been given a 7-month suspended jail term for violating copyright laws.

Legal analysts say the man was charged under a seldom-invoked clause in Denmark's intellectual property legislation, with the court finding that by taking the footage out of their original context, the man had harmed the artists' "ethical entitlements".

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

From spring 2022 to May 2023, the user known as "the pseudonym KlammereFyr" on Reddit uploaded sexually explicit scenes featuring over 100 actresses.

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

Per the Danish copyright protection organization the Rights Alliance, his subreddit had more than 6,000 members and participants were encouraged to request clips of particular performers.

In last year, advocates reported the case to the police on behalf of the impacted artists, filmmakers and producers, which led to the forum being closed down.

One actress, among the actresses whose nude scenes were shared in the group, told Danish media at the time she felt there was a difference between being seen unclothed in a film and appearing on Reddit.

The actress said the uploads constituted "abuse".

'An important message'

The man was arrested in September 2024 and admitted culpable to the allegations recently.

In a comment following the ruling, TRA head Maria Fredenslund remarked the decision sent an "important" message "that violations of creators' rights has consequences".

The verdict is considered unprecedented in the country for its use of the "moral rights" clause of the Danish Copyright Act, which specifies an artist's creation cannot be used in a way which violates their reputation.

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

How the ruling could influence nations abroad is uncertain.

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