Google says it is tackling websites which "hijack" a user's back button. The shady tactic means users who try to leave a website and get back to a previous destination are unable to do so.

Normally users expect a consistent response to the buttons in their browser. Clicking a link on site A could take them to site B. No matter how many pages they then move through on site B, clicking the back button should retrace their steps, eventually taking them back to site A.

The Mechanics of Back Button Hijacking

"Back button hijacking" involves a variety of tricks to disrupt this process. One variant involves forcing the user through a page with an immediate redirect to another page. When the user is "moving forward" to the site this is no problem as they end up at their intended destination. (Source: arstechnica.com)

However, when the user is clicking on the back button to "move backwards", they will hit this redirect page and be trapped in an infinite loop. The only option is to close the tab completely, but this means they will need to find another way to revisit their desired destination such as typing the address manually, searching for it, or using the browser history function.

The main reasons sites use these tactics are to try to discourage them from leaving (for example by showing links to other pages on their site), to artificially boost page views, or to create another opportunity for users to click on ads.

Google Search Penalties and Enforcement

Google says it will now penalize sites that do this because it classes it as a malicious practice, which it defines as something which creates "a mismatch between user expectations and the actual outcome, leading to a negative and deceptive user experience, or compromised user security or privacy." (Source: google.com)

Starting on June 15, sites which use the tactic will be artificially demoted in Google Search results, giving them less visibility and theoretically less traffic from searches. Google has warned sites that they must not only check their own code for potential violations but must make sure any third-party ad display code does not cause back button hijacking.

What's Your Opinion?

Have you ever been trapped in a back button loop while browsing? Do you think search engine penalties are the best way to stop these practices? Should Google go a step further and remove such sites from search results completely?