# Google's new search redirects make links harder to check before you click

DevFeed: [Google's new search redirects make links harder to check before you click](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/google-s-new-search-redirects-make-links-harder-to-check-before-you-click-21602.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2026/09/googles-new-search-redirects-make-links-harder-to-check-before-you-click>)

Author: Pieter Arntz

Published: 2026-09-14T14:17:44Z

Content type: news

Language: en

Sources: [Malwarebytes](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/malwarebytes.md>)

Topics: [Google](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/google.md>), [Google Search](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/google-search.md>), [Search engine optimization (SEO)](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/seo.md>), [Security](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/security.md>), [Accessibility](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/accessibility.md>), [Reddit](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/reddit.md>)

Tags: [accessibility](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/accessibility.md>), [data](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/data.md>), [google](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/google.md>), [google-search](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/google-search.md>), [goto-url](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/goto-url.md>), [news](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/news.md>), [reddit](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/reddit.md>), [search](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/search.md>), [security](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/security.md>), [seo](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/seo.md>), [serp](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/serp.md>)

## AI overview

Google is routing some search result links through opaque, Google-specific redirects instead of linking directly to destinations. The change may make bulk URL extraction harder, but it also limits legitimate tools and makes it more difficult for users to verify a link's destination by hovering before clicking.

## Source excerpt

Google says its new opaque redirects tackle evolving abuse, but they also prevent users from checking a result's destination by hovering over it.