What is back button hijacking? Google explains that “when a user clicks the ‘back’ button in the browser, they have a clear expectation: they want to return to the previous page. Back button hijacking breaks this fundamental expectation.” Google adds that “it occurs when a site interferes with a user’s browser navigation and prevents them from using their back button to immediately get back to the page they came from. Instead, users might be sent to pages they never visited before, be presented with unsolicited recommendations or ads, or otherwise be prevented from normally browsing the web.”
Google has issued a new warning to sites using back button hijacking techniques, stating that those sites have until June 15, 2026, to remove or disable them. If they do not, they will be subject to manual spam actions or automated demotions within Google Search.
Google is starting to enforce this crackdown now because it has “seen a rise in this type of behavior, which is why we’re designating this as an explicit violation of our malicious practices policy, which states:”
“Malicious practices create a mismatch between user expectations and the actual outcome, leading to a negative and deceptive user experience or compromised user security or privacy.”
Google is now giving sites two months’ notice to take action. “To give site owners time to make any needed changes, we’re publishing this policy two months in advance of enforcement on June 15, 2026,” Google states.
If you’re using this technique, you should remove it from your pages to avoid any SEO penalties. You have a few months to make the change before any penalties or actions are enforced against your website.
