Google announced Monday that it is expanding its search spam policies to target a deceptive practice known as 'back button hijacking.'
Starting June 15, 2026, the company will officially classify the practice as a violation of its malicious practices policy. The move aims to stop websites from manipulating browser history to prevent users from returning to their previous pages.
Back button hijacking occurs when a site interferes with a user's browser navigation. Instead of returning to the previous page, users may be redirected to unvisited pages, unsolicited advertisements, or unwanted recommendations.
"Back button hijacking breaks this fundamental expectation," Google Search Central stated in a blog post. The company noted that the practice creates a mismatch between user expectations and actual outcomes.
Enforcement and site impact
Google will use manual spam actions and automated demotions to penalize offending sites. These actions can significantly reduce a website's visibility in Google Search results.
Google's Search Quality team warned that the issue often stems from third-party code. Some instances of hijacking may originate from included libraries or advertising platforms integrated into a site.
Site owners must audit their technical implementations to ensure no scripts or configurations are inserting or replacing pages in a user's browser history. Google is providing a two-month notice period before the new enforcement begins.
Webmasters who have been penalized can submit a reconsideration request through Search Console once the technical issues are resolved.
