GoogleAlgorithmConfirmed
Intrusive interstitials penalty
Mobile pages that hid content behind intrusive pop-ups or interstitials could rank lower, announced five months before launch.
What changed
Google announced in August 2016 that from 10 January 2017 mobile pages showing intrusive interstitials immediately on arrival from search might not rank as highly. Legally required notices such as cookie or age gates, and reasonably sized banners, were explicitly excluded. Google described the signal as one of many and said good content could still outrank a page that failed it.
Timing
Announced on 23 August 2016, with rollout beginning 10 January 2017. No completion date was announced. Rankings typically remain unstable for the whole rollout window, so measurements taken inside it are not a reliable read on the outcome.