Google spam policies
Google spam policies,
as documented
The practices Google defines as spam, including scaled content abuse, and the consequences it names, in Google's own words. Verified from Google's pages on 2026-10-07.
Google says spam refers to techniques used to deceive users or manipulate its Search systems into featuring content prominently. This page lists the definitions and examples Google gives in its spam policies for web search, with the wording taken from its page.
What Google documents
| Topic | What Google says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| What spam is | “In the context of Google Search, spam refers to techniques used to deceive users or manipulate our Search systems into featuring content prominently” | Google docs Verified 2026-10-07 |
| Consequences | “Sites that violate our policies may rank lower in results or not appear in results at all.” | Google docs Verified 2026-10-07 |
| Detection | “We detect policy-violating practices both through automated systems and, as needed, human review that can result in a manual action .” | Google docs Verified 2026-10-07 |
| Not a closed list | “Our policies cover common spam practices, but Google may act against any type of spam practices we detect.” | Google docs Verified 2026-10-07 |
| Scaled content abuse | “Scaled content abuse is when many pages are generated for the primary purpose of manipulating search rankings and not helping users.” | Google docs Verified 2026-10-07 |
| No matter how it's created | “This abusive practice is typically focused on creating large amounts of unoriginal content that provides little to no value to users, no matter how it's created.” | Google docs Verified 2026-10-07 |
| Generative AI at scale | “Using generative AI tools or other similar tools to generate many pages without adding value for users” | Google docs Verified 2026-10-07 |
| Stitching content | “Stitching or combining content from different web pages without adding value” | Google docs Verified 2026-10-07 |
| Hiding the scale | “Creating multiple sites with the intent of hiding the scaled nature of the content” | Google docs Verified 2026-10-07 |
| Doorway abuse | “Doorway abuse is when sites or pages are created to rank for specific, similar search queries.” | Google docs Verified 2026-10-07 |
| Cloaking | “Cloaking refers to the practice of presenting different content to users and search engines with the intent to manipulate search rankings and mislead users.” | Google docs Verified 2026-10-07 |
| Sneaky redirects | “Sneaky redirecting is the practice of doing this maliciously in order to either show users and search engines different content or show users unexpected content that doesn't fulfill their original needs.” | Google docs Verified 2026-10-07 |
| Hidden text and links | “Hidden text or link abuse is the practice of placing content on a page in a way solely to manipulate search engines and not to be easily viewable by human visitors.” | Google docs Verified 2026-10-07 |
| Hiding that is fine | “Accordion or tabbed content that toggle between hiding and showing additional content”Google lists this, slideshows or sliders, tooltips, and text only accessible to screen readers as design elements that don't violate its policies. | Google docs Verified 2026-10-07 |
| Keyword stuffing | “Keyword stuffing refers to the practice of filling a web page with keywords or numbers in an attempt to manipulate rankings in Google Search results.” | Google docs Verified 2026-10-07 |
| Link spam | “Link spam is the practice of creating links to or from a site primarily for the purpose of manipulating search rankings.” | Google docs Verified 2026-10-07 |
| Expired domain abuse | “Expired domain abuse is where an expired domain name is purchased and repurposed primarily to manipulate search rankings by hosting content that provides little to no value to users.” | Google docs Verified 2026-10-07 |
| Hacked content | “Hacked content is any content placed on a site without permission, due to vulnerabilities in a site's security.” | Google docs Verified 2026-10-07 |
| User-generated spam | “User-generated spam is spammy content added to a site by users through a channel intended for user content.” | Google docs Verified 2026-10-07 |
| Misleading functionality | “Misleading functionality refers to the practice of intentionally creating sites that trick users into thinking they would be able to access some content or services but in reality can't.” | Google docs Verified 2026-10-07 |
| Machine-generated traffic | “Machine-generated traffic (also called automated traffic ) refers to the practice of sending automated queries to Google.” | Google docs Verified 2026-10-07 |
What this means for AI-assisted content
Google's wording is about purpose and value, not the tool: the scaled content abuse policy applies to many pages made to manipulate rankings and not to help users, "no matter how it's created". Publishing on a schedule you set, reviewing what goes live and adding something readers can't get elsewhere are choices you control. We make no promise about rankings.
Rules to remember
- Google says scaled content abuse is about many pages made for the primary purpose of manipulating rankings and not helping users, no matter how the pages are created.
- Google says violating sites may rank lower or not appear at all, and that its list is not closed.
- Google says design elements such as tabs, accordions and sliders don't violate its policies.
Questions
Does Google ban AI-written content?
Not as such. Google's spam policy on scaled content abuse says the practice is typically focused on creating large amounts of unoriginal content that provides little to no value to users, no matter how it's created. Using generative AI tools to generate many pages without adding value for users is one of its examples.
What is scaled content abuse?
Google defines it as many pages generated for the primary purpose of manipulating search rankings and not helping users. Its examples include generative AI used to generate many pages without adding value, stitching content from different pages without adding value, and creating multiple sites to hide the scaled nature of the content.
What happens to a site that breaks the policies?
Google says such sites may rank lower in results or not appear in results at all, and that it detects violations through automated systems and, as needed, human review that can result in a manual action.
Is hiding content in tabs or accordions spam?
No. Google lists accordion or tabbed content, sliders, tooltips and screen-reader-only text as design elements that don't violate its policies. Hidden text is spam when it is placed solely to manipulate search engines and not to be easily viewable by human visitors.
What counts as keyword stuffing?
Google defines it as filling a web page with keywords or numbers in an attempt to manipulate rankings. Its examples include blocks of text listing cities and regions a page is trying to rank for, and repeating the same words or phrases so often that it sounds unnatural.
Is this the complete list of what Google treats as spam?
No. Google says its policies cover common spam practices, but it may act against any type of spam practices it detects. This page covers a selection of the definitions on Google's page, so read the linked page for the rest, including site reputation abuse and thin affiliate pages.
How current is this page?
Every row was read from Google's page on 2026-10-07, which showed "Last updated 2026-08-28 UTC". Google can change its documentation, so treat the linked page as the final word.
Sources
- Spam policies for Google web search (Google Search Central), read on 2026-10-07
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