Google is officially cracking down on Back Button Hijacking—and starting June 15, 2026, this user-hostile tactic will be classified as a "Malicious Practice." In this SEO news update, we break down Google's latest policy expansion and what it means for your website's search rankings and Core Web Vitals perception.
📉 The Risk: Sites that trap users by manipulating browser history or inserting fake pages may face severe ranking demotion or complete de-indexing from Google Search.
🔍 In This Video, We Cover:
What exactly is "Back Button Hijacking"? (Definition & Examples)
Why Google Chrome sees this as a manipulative user experience.
The June 15 Deadline: What site owners and developers must audit NOW.
How to check your site for accidental history manipulation (JavaScript redirects & pop-unders).
The Reconsideration Process: How to recover if you get hit.
đź’¬ Expert Quote Highlight: Adam Thompson (BCS, Chartered Institute for IT) weighs in on why this undermines the "expected user journey."
👇 Resources & Links:
Google's Official Blog Post on the Policy Change [Link]
Chrome Browser History Best Practices [Link]
đź’ˇ Have you ever been stuck on a site that wouldn't let you click back? Tell us about the worst offender in the comments below!
#SEO #GoogleUpdate #BackButtonHijacking #ChromeBrowser #DigitalMarketing #WebDevelopment #GooglePenalty
