Major affiliate programs often blame lost conversions on ad blockers. It’s a vague explanation that shuts down the conversation without solving the problem. Yet most marketers don’t understand precisely why performance suffers or how blockers decide what to block, and a lot of affiliate marketers have never heard of the EasyList. It is a challenge for affiliates, merchants and service providers.
According to industry estimates, 20–30% of global internet users run ad blockers, and in tech-savvy audiences that number can exceed 50%. That’s the very demographic many affiliate programs target. Imagine losing commissions on up to half your traffic without ever knowing why.
Ad blockers rely on filter lists – simple text files full of rules that tell your browser exactly what to hide, block, or remove. Among dozens of public lists, EasyList is by far the most influential.
I largely manage retail affiliate programmes for large global advertisers, and it is staggering how few have heard of the Easy List. Every retail affiliate specialist I have spoken to, including some very senior people, had never heard of the EasyList or the effect it has on affiliate marketing.
Filter lists and the EasyList
The EasyList (and EasyPrivacy) is a community-run project that powers dozens of major ad-blocking extensions (Adblock Plus, uBlock Origin, Brave), network level tools (Pi-hole, NextDNS), and thousands of smaller projects.
If you or your visitors use an ad blocker, there is an overwhelming chance it relies on the EasyList, EasyPrivacy or a derivative.
How does it work?
Most EasyList or EasyPrivacy projects are simple text files that contain instructions on how to detect certain elements common to online advertising or tracking. The rules help ad-blockers identify domains, URLs, scripts, CSS selectors and more linked to:
- Ads
- Trackers
- Pop-ups and overlays
- Affiliate redirects
- Click-tracking scripts
- Container tags (GTM)
- Analytics (GA)
EasyList doesn’t specifically single out affiliates. It targets all ‘ad-tech’, and affiliate infrastructure is ad-tech, so it gets treated the same way. It is tempting to say affiliate marketing is being included up by accident, but that is probably a stretch. For right or wrong, the very active privacy community does see affiliate marketing as a valid target.
The EasyList does not distinguish between ‘good’ or ‘bad’ ads – if it is an ad, tracker or third party script it is fair game. For privacy focussed users, any web page or site should always behave like you they have never visited before, and not store any record of their visit or interactions.
How many projects are there?
EasyList and EasyPrivacy are the most relevant, but there are several EasyList projects. One way or another most of these projects affect affiliate tracking.:
EasyList
The main filter list that blocks most advertisements on international websites, including intrusive frames, images, and embedded objects.
EasyPrivacy
An add-on filter list designed to eliminate all types of online tracking, including tracking scripts, web beacons, and data collectors.
EasyList Cookie List
Targets and blocks cookie consent banners, GDPR overlays, and other privacy-related pop-ups.
Note, this can interfere with your efforts to inform users about cookies and data collection, but since it is done locally, on the visitors device, you are not liable.
Fanboy’s Social Blocking List
Removes embedded social media elements like Facebook Like buttons and other third-party widgets from websites.
Fanboy’s Annoyance List
This list helps block social media embeds, in-page pop-ups, and other distractions. It also incorporates the EasyList Cookie List and Fanboy’s Social Blocking List.
Real-world consequences
AutoTrader (UK)
The EasyList rules are quite basic – just a list of domains or html snippets, which their client apps block when they find a match. Autotrader is a well known example (see Digidays article, worth a read). In this case certain patterns of JavaScript and CSS on the AutoTrader site matched snippets in the EasyList, making the site unusable for anyone with an ad-blocker. Buttons disappeared, product images failed to load, and forms simply broke.
When AutoTrader reached out, an EasyList admin refused to cooperate, insisting AutoTrader adapt their own site instead. Remember, they are volunteers, not professionals.
This isn’t an isolated occurance: any e-commerce or media site with dynamic widgets, embedded scripts or lots of css is at risk of similar breakage. If you use a commercial web template it is feasible for any standard sidebar or menu placement will be recognised as an ad, even if you don’t use it for that.
As Digiday said, It’s crazy that more people don’t know about this.
Affiliate platforms caught in the net
- PartnerStack saw its tracking domain (
grsm.io) blacklisted. Affiliates clicking links were never redirected. PartnerStack now recommends branded, first-party domains to bypass EasyList filters. - Skimlinks and VigLink (which inject affiliate links into User Generated content) are routinely blocked so publishers earn zero from those clicks.
- Products like Samsung’s Smart Anti-Tracking can block first-party cookies and affiliate attribution simply because the cookie name contains words like “track”.
- EasyList and EasyPrivacy filters often remove official banners and widgets from Amazon Associates, ShareASale, Rakuten, and others.
And before you ask is my network included?, the answer is almost certainly yes. Every mainstream network I can think of – Awin, CJ, Impact, Partnerize, Tradedoubler and more, appears on the list.
Why EasyList is so hard to escape
- No appeals process – only false positives can be removed.
- Domain-wide bans – one flagged campaign can blacklist an entire tracking domain.
- Server-side isn’t foolproof – even with backend postbacks, the initial client-side click or cookie can be blocked, so no data ever reaches the server.
- CNAME cloaking fails – sophisticated blockers now “uncloak” custom subdomains and block them too.
- Aggregated blocklists – Other lists, like EasyPrivacy, Fanboy’s, AdGuard, Pi-hole, and NextDNS, quickly pick up EasyList rules, magnifying the damage. Some other projects are just thinly disguised mirrors of the EasyList.
- Varying implementations – Tools by reputable publishers at least try to be balanced and measured in their response, but a lot of tools simply block everything on the list, causing chaos.
Native browser protections
Ad-blocking and privacy features are increasingly built into browsers themselves (and activated by default). Even before users install extensions, these native controls can silently disable pixels, cookies, and redirects.
- Safari: Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP) blocks third-party cookies and trackers.
- Firefox: Enhanced Tracking Protection (ETP) uses EasyList/EasyPrivacy to block trackers by default (and Strict mode blocks even more).
- Edge: Tracking Prevention (Basic/Balanced/Strict) blocks known trackers using community lists.
- Brave & Opera: Ad blocking and tracker blocking enabled out of the box. Uses Easylist.
- Chrome: Privacy Sandbox initiatives aim to limit cross-site tracking in future releases.
White lists and “Acceptable Ads”
Whitelists allow certain domains, URLs, or elements to bypass blocking. EasyList itself does not offer a public whitelist, but some ad-blockers built upon it do.
The Acceptable Ads Committee certifies non intrusive, clearly labeled ads that meet specific criteria. Publishers can apply, and larger advertisers pay fees for inclusion. Several blockers use this list, including Adblock Plus. It is usually ‘opt-out’, so up to 90% of adblock plus users do still see ‘acceptable ads’. However, this typically covers basic ad banners, not affiliate tracking. While a few affiliate-related banners might pass through, your tracking scripts, affiliate redirects, and attribution methods might could remain blocked.
uBlock Origin and Brave Browser typically ignore Acceptable Ads entirely, providing strict blocking with no exceptions.
Even though it’s not perfect, you should register everything you can with whitelists where possible. Also, reach out to your affiliate network. Do they actively submit to whitelists? Some charge fees or have strict entry requirements – do they subscribe to them?
Dealing with the EasyList
You can’t directly change EasyList, but you can take some steps to minimize its effect. It won’t solve everything, but every little helps.
At a minimum:
- Speak to your affiliate network. Your network should know what the ‘best’, most robust tracking method is for their own platform.
If you are a merchant, your whole tracking stack should be built around this. If you are an affiliate or publisher you should always use the best links (sometimes there is more than one).
Note – you might have to try a few times to get the right answer. The average network account manager or exec may not be equipped with all the info, but persevere. - Adopt server-side tracking (or whatever your network recommends), but also ensure that the initial attribution step (client-side) is clean and blocker-resistant.
- Move away from redirects where possible. Old fashioned third party redirects are just too easy to block. If users are passed through several different URLs after clicking an affiliate link, that is not safe.
- Regularly test your affiliate pages with major ad blockers (uBlock Origin, AdGuard, Brave Browser). See what your visitors see.
Further steps:
- Direct tracking with coupon codes or IDs can bypass common blocker rules entirely.
- Use custom, branded redirect domains instead of generic third-party tracking domains. In general SAAS providers like Tune, Partnerize or Impact have more options on this front.
- Don’t use ad-serving technology to deliver key site functionality, even if they are in the perfect position on your site.
- Don’t use designated ‘ad’ slots in your page template to deliver key functionality. Ideally, don’t use them at all – if your template is popular then the pattern is probably already known.
- Avoid obvious tracking language (like “track,” “affiliate,” “ad”) in any URLs, cookies, and scripts. in fact, nix these words from your page source completely.
- Cloak affiliate links by using internal redirects (e.g., yourdomain.com/go/product). It will bypass some EasyList filters and still let users (and search engines) see exactly where they’re headed. However, if the ad-blocker simply blocks entire domains it still won’t work. Modern affiliate tracking without an interstitial redirect will be fine.
Note – This is not the same as the shady cloaking tactics some affiliates use, like off-brand shorteners, stealthy JavaScript, or undisclosed iframes. Honest, server-side masking on your own domain is transparent, SEO-friendly, and fully compliant. - Openly inform users about your use of affiliate links. Loyal visitors might consider temporarily disabling their blocker to support you.
How to check If You are affected
- Search EasyList’s public site or their GitHub repository for your domain or common affiliate patterns.
- Test your site with ad blockers (uBlock Origin, Brave Browser) to see what is blcked, and use browser Dev Tools to dig deeper.
- Monitor analytics closely for discrepancies between clicks and conversions.
- Use blocklist aggregators (Pi-hole, NextDNS) to quickly spot if your domains appear in the EasyList or other lists..
- Monitor your conversions – sudden or unexplained dips may indicate filtering issues.
Blocky McBlockFace (the irony)
The Internet tells us time and again that if something can be exploited, it will be. The very rules designed to help users avoid unwanted content are exactly what bad actors need to identify and overwrite ads. While filter lists are intended to protect users from intrusive ads and trackers, they also serve as a detailed guide to precisely identify ad placements for malware authors.
It is super easy to download the EasyList – simply visit a site and click a link. There is no login required and you don’t have to agree to any T&Cs, so of course it is going to fall into the wrong hands.
The EasyList resource also makes it easy to create a ‘malicious’ ad blocker, which acts as a trojan horse for malware while pretending to provide a useful service. Examples are removed from browser app stores every week. It would be absolutely naïve to assume this resource isn’t also being used for nefarious purposes.
Ad Blocking: bigger than you think
Ad blockers powered by EasyList et al are quietly reshaping the affiliate landscape, removing ads, trackers, cookies and affiliate tools without a word. Many marketers never detect the resulting lost commissions.
- 912 million people use ad blockers worldwide (as of 2023).
- 54% of ad blocking now happens on mobile devices.
- 300 million+ users see “Acceptable Ads” by default but still block most affiliate tracking.
- In some niches, 30–50% of visitors never see your affiliate links or pixels.
Understanding ad blockers and public blocklists is no longer optional. Your ability to track, attribute, and convert increasingly depends on it. An individual affiliate programme can, with enough work and the right support, insulate itself from the worst of the effects, but an industry-wide solution is not really in sight.
It is worth remembering that EasyList and its sister projects are maintained by small groups of volunteers whose personal views inevitably shape what gets blocked (and what doesn’t).
Community driven filter rules aren’t the product of a neutral standards body, but rather of individuals who often see virtually any form of data collection or tracking as sinister. While privacy is a vital concern, painting all tracking with the same brush can do as much harm as good.