Think about it this way: Will the user "lose their place" on your page if they click a link and go back? Will the user lose any filtering or search options? If

Think about it this way: Will the user "lose their place" on your page if they click a link and go back? Will the user lose any filtering or search options? If the answer is yes to either, open in a new tab. I personally make this determination all the time, especially on social media after I've scrolled a lot and don't want my "progress" to be lost.