How do I handle duplicate content for SEO?

How do I handle duplicate content for SEO?Handle duplicate content with rel=canonical tags pointing to the preferred version, 301 redirects for true URL consolidation, and proper parameter handling in Search Console. Google's algorithm tolerates duplicate content but consolidates ranking signals to one canonical URL.AnswerDuplicate content is rarely penalized in 2026 — Google's systems generally consolidate signals to a canonical URL rather than penalize the site. The risk is signal dilution (rankings split across duplicate URLs) and crawl-budget waste (Googlebot spends time crawling duplicates instead of unique content). The proper handling toolkit: (1) rel=canonical link tag — declare the preferred URL when multiple URLs serve substantially similar content (e.g., printer-friendly versions, parameter variants, syndicated content); (2) 301 redirects — for permanent URL consolidation when the duplicate URL should not exist as a separate destination; (3) hreflang tags — for genuinely localized variants (en-CA, fr-CA) that should be treated as separate pages but linked as alternatives; (4) noindex meta tag — for pages that exist for utility but should not appear in search (filter pages, internal search results, paginated comment threads); (5) Search Console parameter handling — for query-string parameters that do not change content meaningfully. Common duplicate-content sources to audit on Canadian e-commerce sites: HTTP/HTTPS variants, www/non-www variants, trailing-slash inconsistencies, faceted-navigation parameters, session IDs, and tracking parameters appended to internal links.