How do I block E-Mail tracking?

Is there any filter list that blocks an email, for example newsletters, from tracking me with these 1x1 pictures?
I don't necessarily want anyone else to know when (and where) I read my emails.

Thanks in advance
cfa999

Turn off auto load images

I know that this is an option but I need to download the other images.
I would therefore prefer a list that blocks all email tracking domains.

@Tntdruid 's answer is correct. However, in many mails you have to allow remote content in order to make them reasonably viewable. In Thunderbird it's easily possible to only selectively allow remote content which still lets you block trackers - if you know which domains belong to them :wink:

I am not aware of a specific blocklist containing email trackers. But over the years I have collected the following list:

acxiom-online.com
adsrvr.org
adsymptopic.com
advertising.com
agkn.com
alcmpn.com
alocdn.com
api.mixpanel.com
app.mixmax.com
app.outreach.io
app.relateiq.com
app.yesware.com
bananatag.com
bidswitch.net
bl-1.com
bluekai.com
boomeranggmail.com
cirrusinsight.com
cl.exct.net
click.icptrack.com
click.mailer.atlassian.com
cmail1.com
constantcontact.com
contactlab.it
criteo.com
crsend.com
demdex.net
dotmailer.com
dotomi.com
doubleclick.net
dzone.com
elaine-asp.de
emailretargeting.com
emailtracking.azure.com
emltrk.com
exacttarget.com
exct.net
frontapp.com
gatehousemedia.com
getsidekick.com
go.rjmetrics.com
go.toutapp.com
gtc-online.de
hsms06.com
hubspot.com
icontact.com
icptrack.com
ihrgeld2016.com
infusionsoft.com
intentiq.com
intercom.io
inxmail.com
iponweb.net
islamicreliefcanada.org
ivitrack.com
jetlore.com
launchbit.com
lemediavault.com
liadm.com
licasd.com
links.mixmax.com
list-manage1.com
list-manage.com
litmus.com
mailchimp.com
maileon.com
mailer-service.de
mailfoogae.appspot.com
mailingwork.de
mailstat.us
mailtrack.io
mandrillapp.com
marketing.intercom-mail-200.com 
mathtag.com
mediawallahscript.com
mixmax.com
mixpanel.com
mkt4477.com
mkto-k0023.com
mmarketing.fr
mojn.com
neustar.biz
newsletter2go.de
nexac.com
openx.net
outreach.io
ping.answerbook.com
pippio.com
plentymarkets.com
postmarkapp.com
promio-mail.com
pstmrk.it
realtime.email
relateiq.com
returnpath.net
richrelevance.com
rjmetrics.com
rlcdn.com
scrippsnetworks.com
securepubads.g.doubleclick.net
sendgrid.com
sendgrid.net
sitescout.com
streak.com
tapad.com
t.hsms06.com
toutapp.com
trackedlink.net
track.getsidekick.com
tracking.cirrusinsight.com
track.mixmax.com
travelbird.com
trker1.azalead.com
t.senalcinco.com
t.senaldos.com
t.senalquatro.com
t.senaltres.com
t.senaluno.com
t.sidekickopen01.com
t.sidekickopen02.com
t.sidekickopen03.com
t.sidekickopen04.com
t.sidekickopen05.com
t.sidekickopen06.com
t.sidekickopen07.com
t.sidekickopen08.com
t.sidekickopen09.com
t.sidekickopen10.com
t.sidekickopen11.com
t.sidekickopen12.com
t.signalecinque.com
t.signaledue.com
t.signalequattro.com
t.signaletre.com
t.signaleuna.com
t.signauxcinq.com
t.signauxdeux.com
t.signauxdix.com
t.signauxhuit.com
t.signauxneuf.com
t.signauxquatre.com
t.signauxsept.com
t.signauxsix.com
t.signauxtrois.com
t.signauxun.com
t.sigopn01.com
t.sigopn02.com
t.sigopn03.com
t.sigopn04.com
t.sigopn05.com
t.strk01.email
t.strk02.email
t.strk03.email
t.strk04.email
t.strk05.email
t.strk06.email
t.strk07.email
t.strk08.email
t.strk09.email
t.strk10.email
t.strk11.email
t.strk12.email
t.strk13.email
t.yesware.com
tzoo-img.com
v12group.com
via.intercom.io
videoamp.com
voicefive.com
web.frontapp.com
webtrekk.net
xqueue.de
yesware.com
ziffimages.com

Needless to say that this list is certainly not complete, and some of these trackers are probably in other available lists. I suggest to add the respective domains only as "Add (wildcard)" to Blacklist in the Pi-hole admin console. Some of these entries should better be added as "Add (regex)", namely:

(^|\.)sidekickopen[0-9]{2}\.com$
(^|\.)signale[a-z]{3,6}\.com$
(^|\.)signaux[a-z]{2,6}\.com$
(^|\.)sigopn0[1-9]\.com$
(^|\.)strk[0-9]{2}\.email$

Suggestions for improvements and additions are welcome :grinning:

3 Likes

That's a good question and request. I like the idea to have a list for that.

You might add the following.

link.getmailspring.com
Used by the Mailspring email client for tracking.

I created a blocklist on github including the domains of pi-user and some of my own.
I hope this is okay for you @pi-user, if not please contact me.

Just add the email_trackers file to your pi-hole and everything should be set up.
If you would like to contribute please give me your github username, I will add you as a collaborator.

Thank you very much for your reply.
Unfortunately I am not very experienced and therefore am not sure how to solve this problem.
If you would like to contribute please let me know your github username and you can solve this mistake.

I use mailgun as my transactional E-mail service.

I'm sure a lot of other legitimate places do too ...

2 Likes

I updated the file and removed the mailguns domains.

Thanks. I will check if I better modify my regexes. However, I would omit, e.g., the "t." in those entries and add them as, e.g.,

\.sidekickopen[0-1][0-9]\.com$

or

(^|\.)sidekickopen[0-1][0-9]\.com$

to make sure that other subdomains they might use are also covered. Similarly, I would prefer to not add, e.g.,

t.senaldos.com

under Exact Blocking but rather as

(^|\.)senaldos\.com

i.e. just taking the domain and use "Add (wildcard)".

@cfa999 : I suggest that you read the respective Pi-hole wiki site. It's a nice regex tutorial.

1 Like