Google Enforces New Policy Against Back Button Hijacking

• •Google's new policy against back button hijacking takes effect on June 15, 2026.
• •Back button hijacking disrupts user navigation and leads to frustration.
• •Sites engaging in this practice may face penalties affecting their search performance.

Google has announced an expansion of its spam policies to explicitly prohibit back button hijacking, a deceptive practice where websites prevent users from returning to their previous page by manipulating browser functionality. This practice often redirects users to unfamiliar pages or displays unsolicited ads, leading to user frustration and a sense of manipulation. The new policy will take effect on June 15, 2026, giving site owners a two-month window to comply. Affected sites may face manual spam actions or automated demotions in Google search results if they do not remove or disable any scripts causing this issue. Google emphasizes the importance of user experience and encourages site owners to review their technical implementations to ensure compliance. The rise in reported incidents of back button hijacking has prompted this policy change, aiming to protect users from deceptive browsing experiences.