Google replaces destination URLs in search results with opaque google.com/goto redirects

Sources: primary, HN discussion
Summary: Autom reports that Google Search result pages link through google.com/goto redirects rather than carrying the destination URL. The post states the url parameter cannot be decoded offline, so resolving a result requires a request back to Google that reads the Location header. Autom sells a Google Search API and has a direct commercial interest in the change, and the post is dated 2026-08-27.
Why it matters: Any pipeline that reads destination URLs out of result pages now pays one extra request per result.