Danish individual given deferred prison term for posting nude film scenes on the social platform Reddit

A Denmark-based man has been found guilty of sharing nude scenes from protected movies and television shows on the online platform Reddit.

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

The country's authorities confirm he has been handed a seven-month deferred sentence for copyright infringement.

Legal analysts explain the defendant was prosecuted under a seldom-invoked provision in Denmark's intellectual property legislation, with the judge ruling that by taking the scenes out of their intended setting, the man had harmed the performers' "moral rights".

He has additionally been convicted of sharing more than 25 terabytes of protected digital content.

From March 2022 to May 2023, the user known as "the pseudonym KlammereFyr" on Reddit uploaded adult scenes including over 100 female performers.

He distributed them in the subreddit he was a administrator of.

According to the Danish anti-piracy organization the Rights Alliance, his online community had more than 6,000 subscribers and users were encouraged to request excerpts of particular performers.

In 2023, advocates reported the case to the police on behalf of the impacted actors, directors and production companies, which led to the subreddit being closed down.

Andrea Vagn Jensen, among the actresses whose explicit content were circulated in the community, told Danish broadcasters at the period she believed there was a difference between appearing naked in a film and being shown on Reddit.

The actress said the uploads constituted "abuse".

'An important message'

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

In a comment following the verdict, TRA head the organization's leader remarked the decision sent an "important" message "that infringements of creators' rights have consequences".

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

Intellectual property expert Dr Alina Trapova told the media the case was "rare" for its focus on the harm to the integrity of an artist, rather than to them financially.

The extent to which the ruling could affect other countries is uncertain.

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