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A Danish citizen has been convicted of sharing nude segments from copyrighted films and TV series on the social media site Reddit.

Based on a law enforcement document obtained by BBC News, the anonymous individual shared 347 video excerpts of nude content in a subreddit he managed, which were then watched 4.2 million times.

Danish police confirm he has been handed a 7-month suspended jail term for violating copyright laws.

Legal analysts explain the man was charged under a seldom-invoked clause in Danish intellectual property legislation, with the court ruling that by removing the scenes out of their original context, the accused had harmed the artists' "moral rights".

He has additionally been convicted of sharing more than 25 TB of protected data.

From spring 2022 to May 2023, the man known as "KlammereFyr" on Reddit posted adult clips including over 100 actresses.

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

According to the Denmark's anti-piracy organization the Rights Alliance, his online community had more than 6,000 members and participants were encouraged to request clips of particular performers.

In 2023, advocates filed the case to the police on behalf of the affected actors, filmmakers and production companies, which resulted in the subreddit being shut down.

One actress, among the performers whose nude scenes were shared in the community, explained to Danish broadcasters at the time she believed there was a difference between appearing naked in a movie and being shown on Reddit.

The performer said the uploads constituted "abuse".

'A significant signal'

The man was detained in September 2024 and admitted culpable to the allegations last month.

In a statement following the ruling, the head of the Rights Alliance Maria Fredenslund said the decision sent an "significant" message "indicating infringements of creators' entitlements have repercussions".

The verdict is viewed as unique in Denmark for its application of the "ethical protections" clause of the Danish Copyright Act, which specifies an creator's work cannot be used in a way which infringes upon their standing.

Intellectual property expert Dr Alina Trapova told BBC News the case was "unusual" for its focus on the damage to the dignity of an artist, rather than to them economically.

How the ruling could affect nations abroad is uncertain.

But she added there may be "an increasing number of these actions" in the future with the advancement of artificial intelligence, where "the sanctity of one's work might be compromised with greater ease".