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A Danish citizen has been convicted of uploading sexually explicit segments from protected movies and TV series on the online platform Reddit.

According to a law enforcement report obtained by media outlets, the unnamed individual shared 347 video excerpts of explicit scenes in a subreddit he moderated, which were then watched 4.2 million times.

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

Experts explain the defendant was charged under a seldom-invoked provision in Denmark's intellectual property legislation, with the court ruling that by removing the footage out of their intended setting, the man had harmed the performers' "moral rights".

He has also been found guilty of sharing more than 25 terabytes of copyrighted digital content.

From March 2022 to May 2023, the user known as "KlammereFyr" on Reddit posted sexually explicit clips featuring over 100 female performers.

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

According to the Denmark's copyright protection group 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 police on behalf of the impacted artists, directors and producers, which resulted in the subreddit being closed down.

One actress, one of the actresses whose explicit content were circulated in the group, explained to local media at the time she felt there was a distinction between being seen unclothed in a movie and appearing on Reddit.

The actress stated the uploads constituted "abuse".

'An important message'

The man was arrested in fall 2024 and pleaded guilty to the charges recently.

In a statement following the ruling, TRA head the organization's leader said the decision sent an "important" signal "that violations of artists' rights has repercussions".

The ruling is viewed as unprecedented in the country for its application of the "ethical protections" section of the national copyright law, which specifies an creator's work cannot be used in a manner which infringes upon their reputation.

Copyright law expert a legal scholar informed BBC News the case was "rare" 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 nations abroad is uncertain.

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