Google Is About to Punish Websites for That Annoying Browser Back Button Trick ...

In short: Google is classifying “back button hijacking” as spam, targeting sites that abuse the browser History API to trap users when they try to navigate away. Enforcement begins 15 June 2026, with ...

PCWorld reports that Google will penalize websites that hijack the browser’s back button, a manipulative practice that redirects users to unwanted pages or ads. This new spam policy violation, ...

Websites that engage in “back button hijacking” might soon appear less prominently in Google Search results as part of a new spam policy. Back button hijacking occurs when a site prevents users from ...

Tyler is a writer for CNET covering laptops and video games. He's previously covered mobile devices, home energy products and broadband. He came to CNET straight out of college, where he graduated ...

Google announced a new spam policy targeting sites that interfere with browser back button navigation. Back button hijacking is now an explicit violation under Google's malicious practices spam policy ...

Back button hijacking, a practice that interferes with normal web browser back button functioning, is now against Google Search’s guidelines. Sites that engage in back button hijacking will be subject ...

Google has introduced a new rule to combat 'back button hijacking,' a practice where websites interfere with users' navigation, complicating their ability to return to previous pages.

Google is expanding its spam enforcement policies to crack down on a deceptive web practice known as back button hijacking. The update focuses on websites that interfere with a user’s attempt to ...

An update to Google’s spam policies includes a new “malicious practice” that could get websites demoted: “Back button hijacking,” which is when a website stops users from leaving with their browser’s ...

Did you know there are currently websites hijacking your back button? Well, now Google is doing something about it.