Google Search Tests Continue Button Verification to Block Scrapers
Google is testing a new verification step in Search results that requires users to click a "Continue" button after a brief delay, without requiring them to sign in. SEO consultant Glenn Gabe spotted the test on August 31, 2026, and shared a screenshot showing the button grayed out for several seconds before turning blue and becoming clickable.
What was observed
Gabe, who runs G-Squared Interactive and has over 84,000 followers on X, wrote: "Just saw this while searching Google. The 'Continue' button was grayed out for a few seconds before turning blue... Yep, they aren't messing around with scraping... They want humans as much as possible."
The verification screen appears during normal search browsing. The delay before the button activates suggests Google is using the waiting period to perform a background check on the request. Once the verification completes, the button turns blue and the user can proceed to search results.
The test does not require authentication. Unlike an earlier experiment in early August that asked users to sign in to a Google account before continuing, this version works for anonymous users.
Confirmed in multiple regions
Technical SEO director Alexis Rylko reported encountering the same verification screen on September 1 while browsing Google in private mode from France. Rylko, who works at iProspect France, tagged the post with #antiscraping, indicating he believes the measure targets automated scraping rather than regular users.
The appearance of the same test in both the United States and France within 24 hours suggests Google is running a broad experiment rather than a limited regional trial.
Part of a broader anti-scraping effort
This Continue button test is the latest in a series of anti-scraping measures Google has introduced or expanded in recent months. The company has deployed multiple overlapping mechanisms:
- google.com/goto passthrough URLs: Search result links now route through a redirect endpoint that adds tracking parameters, making automated SERP extraction more difficult.
- Sign-in verification: In early August, Google tested requiring users to sign in to a Google account before viewing search results.
- Traditional CAPTCHAs: Google continues to use challenge pages for requests it flags as potentially automated.
The Continue button approach differs from these other methods because it does not require user credentials and does not redirect through a tracking URL. Instead, it introduces a time-based delay that automated tools would need to handle, raising the cost of high-volume scraping.
What has not been confirmed
Google has not published an official announcement about this specific test. It is not clear whether the verification applies to all users, a percentage of searches, or only requests that Google's systems flag as suspicious. The company has not described what background checks run during the delay, how long the test will run, or whether it will become a permanent feature.
It is also not clear how the verification affects SEO monitoring tools and rank trackers that rely on automated SERP access. Tools that cannot handle the delay or the button interaction may lose access to Google Search data unless Google provides an exemption or alternative access method.
Sources
- Glenn Gabe, X post, August 31, 2026: https://x.com/glenngabe/status/2094426567799685594
- Alexis Rylko, X post, September 1, 2026: https://x.com/alekseo/status/2094720636765540824
