Yeah, I first noticed this on desktop software in the early 2000s. Knowing how people are using your products is pretty critical for software companies to improve.
There are many ways to improve software that do not involve analyzing unwitting users, like making it clearly opt-in.
While I know installing ad-block is still opt-out (not -in), it's still a choice of a click that I'm making. I want to support you, but I don't want the choice of privacy made for me.
Why is sending usage data to Microsoft saying "exploit me", but contributing free marketing to YCombinator is something you do daily?
The world doesn't have to operate on zero-sum principles. There's nothing wrong with helping someone or something out "just because".
With respect to "exploit me", that was more in reference to not using an adblocker.