Another Danish user of an illegal file sharing service has received his sentence. The case shows that it is not only the ringleaders who stand to be convicted, but also users who systematically download and share illegal content.
On Friday 25 November, another verdict was handed down against a user of Danish file sharing services. The case, which was reported by the Danish Rights Alliance and handled by NSK, the Section for Rights Protection, concerns a 28-year-old man from Central Jutland who has now been convicted for having downloaded no less than 100TB in the period from January 2021 to November 2021, corresponding to no less than 3000 copyright protected works, which include films, series, TV content, music and books, including comics and audiobooks, on the illegal file sharing service DanishBytes. In addition, he has also been convicted of having uploaded 20TB of illegal content to the same illegal service, which during the period had 4,000 users.
The sentence is a 60-day suspended sentence, 80 hours of community service, confiscation of a desktop PC and compensation of DKK 5.000 to the Danish Rights Alliance.
The case against the 28-year-old man is the second case this year against a serial infringer who is characterized by not being a ringleader behind an illegal file-sharing service, but rather a user who systematically and extensively uses these services for both illegal downloading and sharing of copyrighted works.
Read more: User of file sharing services convicted for copying and illegal sharing of films
Illegal sharing of TV content
It is a requirement for the users of the illegal file sharing services that they must share illegal content themselves. It appears from the case that the Danish content uploaded by the convicted person does not only cover new film titles, but also older Danish films and series as well as Danish-produced TV content. The case helps to show that it is predominantly an illegal sharing of film titles on the file-sharing services, but that Danish TV content from both TV 2 and Viaplay is also in high demand.
Users must be held accountable
According to the Director of the Danish Rights Alliance, Maria Fredenslund, it is important for the fight against illegal sharing of content that yet another user is convicted:
“In the Danish Rights Alliance, we have been very focused on getting those behind illegal file sharing services convicted. But it is equally important that we bring to justice the users who are on these illegal services and who help to keep the services running. It is an important signal to send that it is not only ringleaders who risk prison sentences, but also systematic users. Therefore, it is satisfactory that yet another user has been convicted, and we expect more of these lawsuits in the future.”
NSK is also satisfied with the verdict:
“I am satisfied with the verdict. With a sentence of 60 days suspended sentence, the court sends a clear signal that not only the ringleaders, but also users of illegal file-sharing services can risk being punished,” says Beytullaah Karacan, deputy prosecutor at NSK.