seolint
seolint

Rules / link rules

link.blank.noreferrer

Default
off
Plugin
link

An external link with target="_blank" uses rel="noreferrer".

Why: Without noreferrer, the opened page learns which page sent the visitor. noreferrer also implies noopener in older browsers.

The rule is off by default. It is a privacy choice, not a search one, and it hides your referrals from the sites that you link to. Turn it on to keep the referrer private.

Internal links pass, because the page that opens is on your own site. Without a host, every absolute link counts as external.

When off: target="_blank" links without noreferrer pass.

<!-- ✗ Fails -->
<a href="https://other.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Recipe</a>

<!-- ✓ Passes -->
<a href="https://other.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"
  >Recipe</a
>
<a href="/recipe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Recipe</a>

References