A Danish court has convicted a Reddit moderator for violating actresses' moral rights by sharing out-of-context nude scenes from films and TV shows. The 40-year-old man, known online as KlammereFyr, received a seven-month conditional prison sentence and community service. The ruling marks the first criminal conviction under Denmark's right of respect in copyright law.
The case centers on the subreddit "SeDetForPlottet" (WatchItForThePlot), where KlammereFyr posted hundreds of clips featuring nude scenes. Dozens of actresses complained to Danish police, describing feelings of being "molested or abused." The Rights Alliance, representing the Danish Actors’ Association, broadcasters, and other rightsholders, demanded a criminal investigation, arguing that the moderator removed artistic context, cropped scenes, and altered lighting to sexualize the content.
This violated Denmark's "right of integrity" in copyright law, which protects artists' moral rights by preventing changes or uses that harm their reputation or uniqueness. The 40-year-old confessed to sharing at least 347 clips of over 100 actresses, viewed 4.2 million times, and distributing over 25 terabytes of pirated content via the private torrent tracker Superbits.org.
The Court of Frederiksberg sentenced him to a seven-month conditional prison term and 120 hours of community service. A separate civil lawsuit will determine damages, with rightsholders seeking $2,300–$4,600 per clip, potentially exceeding $1.5 million.
Special prosecutor Jan Østergaard praised the court's seriousness on the issue. Maria Ventegodt, director of the Danish Actors’ Association, stated: "The decision is also important for the art of film and the opportunity to make good stories on film, because the actors can now have confidence that the authorities will crack down hard on the screening of nude scenes out of context."
The verdict, the first criminal conviction based on Denmark's "right of respect," may influence global discussions on moral rights. In the US, protections are limited to a patchwork of laws, as noted in a 2019 Copyright Office study. Rights Alliance director Maria Fredenslund highlighted growing relevance amid AI-generated deepfakes, urging clearer legal boundaries.