Google says it is expanding its policies to crack down on websites which trap users with "back button hijacking".
Back button hijacking is when a website interferes with a browser so the back button no longer takes users to the previous page, instead often keeping them on the site or presenting unsolicited ads.
In a blog post the tech giant behind the Chrome browser said it had seen a "rise of this type of behaviour" which had led it to act.
From 15 June the tactic will be deemed a "malicious practice", meaning sites which continue to adopt it may be down-ranked or even removed from Google Search results.
"Back button hijacking interferes with the browser's functionality, breaks the expected user journey, and results in user frustration," Google said in its post.
