Blocking Google via robots.txt isn't an option because Google has a monopoly. You're amputating the whole leg because of an infected toe. Instead of free samples at Costco you're giving away entire boxes and users love you for it because it's free. It's the producer who loses the revenue.
At what point do you draw the line? Is it OK if Google steals 1 line? How about a whole list of steps for how to do something? How about when Google takes an image from your page and puts it in its hero search result "answer box" but with a link to another site?
As a publisher, I feel the right solution is that the publisher decides the title and meta description -- which are the 2 things Google needs to show in their SERPs. If my title and description snippet are clickbaity or not good enough, other publishers can win. That's fine because publishers are competing on a level playing field.
At what point do you draw the line? Is it OK if Google steals 1 line? How about a whole list of steps for how to do something? How about when Google takes an image from your page and puts it in its hero search result "answer box" but with a link to another site?
As a publisher, I feel the right solution is that the publisher decides the title and meta description -- which are the 2 things Google needs to show in their SERPs. If my title and description snippet are clickbaity or not good enough, other publishers can win. That's fine because publishers are competing on a level playing field.