Google implements ‘google.com/goto’ redirects in search results

Image credit: Abondance

Google has begun widespread deployment of google.com/goto redirects in its global search results, replacing direct links to combat persistent data scraping and abuse, a company spokesperson confirmed.

This implementation, which Google has tested since July 2026, significantly alters how search result links function and is expected to affect third-party data extraction tools and AI companies.

Derek Perkins of the analytics firm Nozzle observed the new redirect system reaching nearly 100 percent deployment across several residential internet protocol providers.

A spokesperson for Google stated the deployment represents a technical measure against constantly evolving forms of abuse.

Previously, hovering over a search result displayed the direct destination URL; now, users see a google.com/goto link that then server-side redirects to the actual webpage.

This new system prevents client-side decoding of the destination URL, requiring tools to follow each individual redirection to extract the final address, according to industry observers.

Barry Schwartz, writing for Search Engine Roundtable, reported on the long-term testing of these redirects before their broader rollout.

The change is widely presumed to limit the ability of automated tools and artificial intelligence companies to scrape search results efficiently.

Scraping involves automated programs extracting large volumes of data from websites, a practice that search engines have historically sought to control.

The widespread adoption of these redirects marks a notable shift in Google’s approach to managing access to its search result data.

Source: Abondance