Google is aiming to prevent websites that interfere with a basic browsing feature many people rely on every day.
In a recent update to its spam policies, the company has added a new rule against what it calls “back button hijacking,” a tactic where a site prevents users from leaving by clicking the browser’s back button.
This behavior often traps users on a page or redirects them somewhere unexpected, creating a frustrating experience. Google now considers this a malicious practice, meaning sites that use it could face penalties. These may include manual actions or automatic drops in search rankings, which can hurt a site’s visibility and traffic.
To give website owners time to adjust, Google is rolling out the policy with a window for changes. Site operators are expected to review their pages and remove any features that block normal navigation, especially anything that interferes with the back button.
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