Google has updated its Search result spam policies. With this change, Google is going after websites that use a deceptive practice known as “back button hijacking,” the company announced. This means websites that engage in “back button hijacking” may soon appear less prominently in Google Search results or face penalties. The update classifies the behaviour as a violation of its “malicious practices” policy, with enforcement set to begin on June 15, 2026. This means Google is giving site owners roughly two months to review and resolve issues. The tech giant has also warned that websites that fail to comply could affect visibility and Google Search rankings.
What is ‘back button hijacking ‘ and how Google is trying to stop it
In a blog post, Google explains that back button hijacking occurs when a site prevents users from “using their back button to immediately get back to the page they came from.” Instead, users may be redirected to “pages they never visited before, be presented with unsolicited recommendations or ads, or are otherwise just prevented from normally browsing the web.”The company said this practice breaks the “fundamental expectation” of browser navigation, interferes with functionality, and also “results in user frustration.” It also creates “a mismatch between user expectations and the actual outcome, leading to a negative and deceptive user experience, or compromised user security or privacy,” Google added.Google even noted that it has “seen a rise of this type of behaviour,” which led to the policy update. As a result, pages using such techniques may face “manual spam actions or automated demotions,” which can affect their performance in Google Search results.To comply, Google has asked website owners to ensure they are not interfering with browser navigation. “If you’re currently using any script or technique that inserts or replaces deceptive or manipulative pages into a user’s browser history that prevents them from using their back button to immediately get back to the page they came from, you are expected to remove or disable it,” the company wrote.The company has even cautioned that such behaviour may come from third-party tools and websites and that they should look into the same. “Notably, some instances of back button hijacking may originate from the site’s included libraries or advertising platform. We encourage site owners to thoroughly review their technical implementation and remove or disable any code, imports or any configurations that are responsible for back button hijacking, to ensure a helpful and non-deceptive experience for users,” Google highlighted.However, Google noted that if a site is penalised and later fixes the issue, owners can submit a reconsideration request through Search Console.
