WTF is back button hijacking?

"Back-button hijacking has existed in various forms for more than a decade. A piece of code manipulates a user's page history by inserting something else when they click "back." Typically, it inserts a page that contains content recommendations, another webpage on the site, or an ad."

"Google is now deeming this a violation of its spam policy, calling it a "malicious practice" in a blog post published April 13, giving website owners two months' notice before going after those that implement this. (Google AdSense announced on May 8 that it will drop the browser back button trigger for vignette ads by June 15 as well, meaning full-screen ads that appear between page loads will no longer be served when a user hits the back button.)"

""We believe that the user experience comes first. Back button hijacking interferes with the browser's functionality, breaks the expected user journey, and results in user frustration," the Google blog post reads."

"Opinions on the tactic remain sharply divided: critics view it as a manipulative tactic that degrades the user experience, while some publishers argue it has become a necessary defensive measure against shrinking referral traffic, tougher monetization conditions and growing pressure on audience acquisition."

Back button hijacking occurs when code manipulates browser page history so that pressing the Back button leads to a different page than the one the user expects. The inserted destination often contains content recommendations, another site page, or advertisements. The practice has existed for more than a decade in various forms. Google now treats it as a violation of spam policy and calls it a malicious practice, citing a rise in the behavior. Google warned website owners that penalties begin June 15. Google AdSense will also stop serving vignette ads triggered by the back button by June 15, preventing full-screen ads from appearing when users hit Back.

Read at Digiday