Google is taking aim at a rising form of malicious web trickery that it says "breaks the expected user journey and results in user frustration."
The search giant said it will start penalising websites that use so-called 'back button hijacking', a tactic that alters browser behaviour, so clicking the back button doesn't actually take users to the previous page they visited.
Instead, these rogue sites force users to stay put or bombard them with unwanted ads.
In a blog post, Google said it has seen an uptick in this sneaky practice. Starting in mid-June, offenders risk seeing their sites demoted or even entirely removed from Google Search results on Chrome.
"Back button hijacking interferes with the browser's functionality," the company said bluntly. It cautioned site owners to avoid meddling with browser history and to review their implementations ASAP.
Websites that clean up their act can appeal to Google for a second chance.
A UX Menace
Adam Thompson, director of digital at BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, told the BBC that back button hijacking "undermines the basic user experience" online.
"It breaks the expectations people have of how the web should work," he said. "So it's understandable that Google views this as harmful behavior and is taking action."
The crackdown is part of Google's expanding efforts to police the quality of sites that bubble up in its all-important search results – the core of its business.
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In recent years, the tech titan has also targeted intrusive interstitial ads, deceptive 'click-to-call' buttons, and pages with obnoxious amounts of unoriginal content.
The initiative aims to maintain the integrity and relevance of Google Search at a time when AI chatbots like ChatGPT threaten to siphon away users. By doubling down on screening out frustrating UX traps, Google hopes to keep searchers coming back.
The recap
- Google expands search policy to penalise back button hijacking.
- Enforcement begins mid-June; offending sites may be down-ranked.
- Sites can request reconsideration after fixing the interfering behaviour.