Overview
- Google, which announced the rule Monday, will start enforcement on June 15 after a two‑month remediation window.
- The company defines back button hijacking as code that blocks normal back‑button navigation or inserts fake history entries to push ads or unwanted pages.
- Violations can trigger manual spam actions or automated demotions that lower a site’s visibility in Google Search.
- Sites that fix the problem after a manual action can request reconsideration through Search Console.
- Google warns the behavior often comes from third‑party ad stacks or libraries, and it classifies these tricks as “malicious practices” because they deceive users by breaking expected navigation.