Google to Punish Sites That Trap People with Back Button Tricks
Google is introducing updated guidelines aimed at targeting websites that employ “back button hijacking” to retain users. This tactic involves altering a browser’s behavior so the back button no longer directs users to the previous page, often leaving them on the site or displaying unwanted advertisements. In a recent blog post, the tech giant behind the Chrome browser explained that it has observed an increase in such practices, prompting it to take action.
What Is Back Button Hijacking?
Back button hijacking occurs when a website manipulates the browser to disrupt the standard user navigation flow. Instead of allowing users to return to the page they previously visited, the technique can keep them within the site or redirect them to promotional content. Google highlighted that this behavior interferes with the expected user journey, leading to frustration and a sense of being manipulated.
“Back button hijacking interferes with the browser’s functionality, breaks the expected user journey, and results in user frustration,” Google stated in its post. “People report feeling manipulated and eventually less willing to visit unfamiliar sites,” it added.
Examples of the tactics under scrutiny include methods that insert deceptive pages into a user’s browsing history, preventing them from navigating back seamlessly. Adam Thompson, director of digital at BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, told the BBC: “Practices like back button hijacking undermine the basic user experience and break the expectations people have of how the web should work, so it’s understandable that Google views this as a harmful behaviour and [is] taking action.”
Beginning on 15 June, the technique will be classified as a “malicious practice.” Sites that continue to use it may face reduced visibility in Google Search results or even be removed from the index. Google urged site owners to review their technical setups to avoid disrupting user navigation, emphasizing that interference with browser history should be minimized. Those penalized can request a reconsideration if they resolve the issue.
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