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A Danish man has been found guilty of sharing sexually explicit scenes from copyrighted films and television shows on the social media site Reddit.

According to a law enforcement document reviewed by BBC News, the anonymous man shared 347 video excerpts of nude content in a subreddit he managed, which were then watched 4.2 million-plus times.

The country's authorities confirm he has been given a 7-month suspended sentence for copyright infringement.

Legal analysts explain the man was prosecuted under a seldom-invoked provision in Denmark's intellectual property legislation, with the court ruling that by removing the scenes out of their intended setting, the man had damaged the artists' "ethical entitlements".

He has also been convicted of distributing more than 25 terabytes of protected digital content.

From March 2022 to mid-2023, the user using the alias "KlammereFyr" on Reddit posted adult clips including over 100 female performers.

He distributed 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 members and participants were encouraged to ask for excerpts of particular performers.

In last year, advocates filed the case to the police on behalf of the affected actors, filmmakers and production companies, which led to the forum being closed down.

One actress, among the actresses whose nude scenes were shared in the group, explained to local media at the period she believed there was a distinction between being seen naked in a film and appearing on Reddit.

The performer said the posts constituted "abuse".

'A significant signal'

The defendant was arrested in September 2024 and admitted guilty to the charges last month.

In a statement following the ruling, TRA head the organization's leader remarked the outcome sent an "significant" message "indicating violations of artists' rights have repercussions".

The ruling is considered unique in Denmark for its application of the "ethical protections" section of the Danish Copyright Act, which states an artist's work cannot be used in a manner which violates their standing.

Intellectual property expert Dr Alina Trapova informed BBC News the legal matter was "rare" for its emphasis on the damage to the dignity of an performer, rather than to them economically.

How the case could influence other countries is uncertain.

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