This article makes an important point: ad-blocking is not just a means to remove annoying (and often disgusting) advertisements; it's also to prevent data being collected about you without any consent or oversight.
Not to mention all the fake "DOWNLOAD!!1" buttons that an ad-blocker removes, eliminating a large percentago of malware installations for less tech-savvy users.
One of the many shitty, underhanded methods these companies use to track people without their knowledge or consent. I will shed no tears for these companies when they go bankrupt as people push back against their methods.