Google Shifts Search Results to Encrypted Redirects, Limiting Link‑Preview Checks

Google has begun routing a subset of its search‑result links through an encoded redirect URL rather than sending users straight to the advertised site. The change, which is being rolled out to desktop and mobile browsers, means that clicking a result now first passes through a Google‑controlled address before reaching the final destination.

The redirect is a long, encoded string that points to a Google domain and then forwards the user to the original target. While the technique is not new to the company—Google has long used similar URLs for tracking ad clicks and measuring traffic—the latest implementation hides the ultimate URL from the browser's native link‑preview tools.

Most modern browsers display a preview of a link’s destination when a user hovers over it or looks at the status bar, allowing a quick safety check before clicking. With the new redirect in place, those previews now show the Google address instead of the final site, reducing the usefulness of this visual cue for spotting potentially harmful or misleading pages.

Google says the adjustment is part of an effort to combat malicious advertising and unsafe search results that have plagued the platform in recent years. By funneling traffic through a controlled redirect, the company can more effectively apply automated safety filters and block known bad actors before the user reaches the offending site.

The move follows a pattern of increasing scrutiny over ad fraud and phishing attempts that use search results as a vector. Security researchers have noted that while redirects can improve detection, they also create a trade‑off: users lose an immediate visual indication of where a link leads, potentially increasing reliance on the browser’s built‑in security warnings.

Experts suggest that users may need to adopt alternative practices, such as copying link URLs into a safe‑checking service or using browser extensions that expand shortened or redirected links. Google has not indicated whether the redirect will become universal across all results or remain limited to those flagged as higher risk. The rollout will likely be monitored closely by both the security community and privacy advocates as the balance between protection and transparency continues to evolve.