Danish Rights Alliance notches another win: No pirate is too small

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Rights AllianceAn individual user was convicted and sentenced for copying and sharing at more than 800 films in Denmark and Sweden. The case was intended to demonstrate that no piracy case is too small, and even when it doesn’t happen in Denmark.

The convicted individual pleaded guilty to all charges and was given 30 days suspended sentence.  Two computers and two external hard drives were confiscated, and damages of DKK 2.840 (about US$380) were paid.  The case had been active since 2020 after Rights Alliance found evidence of copying and sharing via the now-closed file-sharing service, DanishBits.

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“For years we have cried out and stood defenseless when our films are copied and shared without consequences, said Anders Kjærhauge, Director of Zentropia, one of the production companies that owns rights to the illegally distributed films.

“It is hugely frustrating for all those who work hard every single day to create movie experiences, and it is therefore important that NSK here delivers an effective effort against the challenges of illegal sharing, which have been ignored for far too long. I am therefore very satisfied with the outcome of the case and the authorities’ signal that no fish is too small,” he said.

Read press release: User of file sharing services convicted for copying and illegal sharing of films (Rights Alliance)

Why it matters

This was the first time that a user of file sharing services in Denmark was convicted of copyright infringement, as the lawsuits in the field so far only have held the ringleaders and initial uploaders liable. The case therefore sets an important precedent toward the development of clear sanctions for illegal copying and sharing of content on the internet.

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