Google is broadening its spam policies to crack down on “back button hijacking,” a deceptive practice where websites interfere with browser navigation, blocking users from returning to the page they came from. Instead, users are usually redirected to pages th…
Google to penalize sites that hijack the back button
Google is expanding its spam policies to penalize websites engaging in 'back button hijacking,' a deceptive navigation manipulation technique where users are redirected to unintended pages instead of returning to their original destination. This affects all web users and website owners, as Google's search engine rankings will demote or penalize sites exploiting this vulnerability, potentially reducing traffic by up to 50% for violating sites. Users may experience frustration, trust erosion in search results, and potential exposure to malicious redirects or phishing pages.