If you’ve ever wondered how advanced cloaking systems work in ad tech, IP Address Filtering is likely one of the core components behind the scenes.

It serves as a smart firewall that determines whether a visitor sees your actual offer page, a compliant landing page, or nothing at all.

What Is IP Address Filtering?

IP Address Filtering refers to the technique of allowing or denying access to certain pages or content based on the visitor’s IP address.

It’s used to:

• Block ad platform reviewers

• Prevent competitors from scraping content

• Deliver geo-targeted experiences

• Avoid fraud or bot traffic

How It Works in Cloaking

A high-level cloaking system might do the following:

Best Practices

• Maintain an updated database of reviewer IPs

• Use a combination of IP, User-Agent, and behavioral filters

• Rotate cloaking rules regularly to prevent detection

• Don’t rely solely on IP — mix with fingerprinting and JavaScript validation

Common Use Cases

• Ad cloaking for gray/black verticals

• Protecting sensitive product pages from scrapers

• Blocking click fraud from known IP ranges

• Geo-fencing content for regional regulations

Risks

• False positives can hurt real users’ experience

• Static IP lists age quickly — need frequent updates

• Overblocking may reduce traffic volume

Conclusion

IP Address Filtering is your first gatekeeper in any smart cloaking system. It helps you run more resilient campaigns, avoid bans, and send traffic exactly where it should go.

Without proper filtering, even the best cloaking logic will fail. It’s not optional — it’s foundational.