Doesn't "everyone in IT/CS" use tools like Request Policy, uBlock Origin, Privacy Badger, etc. or a good old-fashioned hosts file to prevent said tracking? Not to mention VPN+Privoxy on a VPS?
Secondly, the fact that it's the most probable explanation of the link between facebook/dating sites, and it hasn't been mentioned yet....clearly they're not that popular.
Finally, can people stop thinking that the way they use the internet is the same way everyone does? That's so far from reality it's not funny.