Google classifies back button hijacking as spam, enforcement starts June 2026

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April 15, 2026, 3:29 PM

• •Google's new policy targets sites that use the History API to prevent users from leaving.
• •Enforcement begins June 15, 2026, with penalties for non-compliance.
• •Site owners are responsible even for third-party code that hijacks the back button.
• •The policy aims to improve user experience and combat deceptive web practices.

Google is introducing a new spam policy, effective June 15, 2026, to combat "back button hijacking," where sites manipulate the browser's History API to trap users. This practice, often involving third-party scripts, redirects users instead of allowing them to return to the previous page. Sites found violating the policy face manual penalties or algorithmic demotions, impacting their visibility in search results. Google's move aims to improve user experience and reduce deceptive web practices, emphasizing the importance of auditing all site code.

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