Google Cracks Down on “Back Button Hijacking” as Part of New Spam Policy

Yesterday, Google announced a new spam policy that targets a deceptive web practice known as “back button hijacking.” The company says that the update expands its “malicious practices” rules and will officially start treating the technique as a policy violation starting June 15, 2026.

Google to start taking action against sites using deceptive back button hijacking technique

When someone hits the browser back button, they expect to return to the previous page instantly. Google says some sites are interfering with that flow. Rather than going back, users are reportedly being redirected to unrelated pages, ads, or forced recommendation screens. In some cases, the normal browsing path is disrupted entirely, making navigation feel broken or manipulated.

Google says this behavior creates a mismatch between what users expect and what actually happens. That, according to the company, leads to user frustration and reduced trust in search results over time. In an update, the company also notes that this type of manipulation has been increasing, prompting it to formally classify it under malicious practices.

“Pages that are engaging in back button hijacking may be subject to manual spam actions or automated demotions, which can impact the site’s performance in Google Search results,” notes the company in a blogpost from yesterday.

Notably, websites found using these methods may face manual actions or algorithmic demotions in Search. That being said, Google isn’t just targeting intentional abuse. It also warns that third-party scripts, ad networks, or embedded tools could be responsible without the site owner realizing it.

As part of the policy update, Google also advises publishers to audit their setups and remove any code that interferes with browser navigation. That means if you have hidden or third-party components in your website, it may also need reviewing. Moreover, Google has also confirmed a grace period before the crackdown begins, giving site owners time to adjust before penalties take effect.

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