I know this is probably going to sound like magic to some, but you know, one can control, if they so choose to, what one's browser (if one uses a FOSS browser) sends over the network by modifying the code and recompiling it for oneself…
On the topic of disabling, if one disabled javascript by default, one would get the immediate effect of not seeing most of the advertising on the web (outside of submarine articles).
I bet people telling others that they "need" this shit to use the web probably has significant overlap with those who say they "need" Facebook (or any other random app) or else there would be no other way to find events or things to do. Like without facebook groups, one would die! lol