I believe even “one book one rental” was kind of a gray area. Publishers probably didn’t sue at the time as the potential ruling was less certain, and they didn’t want a precedent not in their favour.

This is just another data point that French police and government are in repression mode. Let’s not forget also how they attacked firefighters during their protests in 2020: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/28/french-police-clash-with-firefighters-during-paris-protest

Alright but Spotify is one of the very few subscriptions that are actually easier than pirating. As long as you have a family plan, it is great value for money.

I don’t know of a good way to support artists outside of direct transactions.