>At this point, I'm dealing with so many pop-ups asking me to turn off my ad-blocker that the original purpose of the ad-blocker (don't bother me) is becoming moot.

Use this specific list in your adblocker to subvert those messages: https://github.com/reek/anti-adblock-killer/blob/master/anti...

>If this effort by Google can somehow raise the quality of online ads from horrendous to just terrible, I'll reluctantly support it

I think the rationale for this move is to stem the growth of adblockers rather than anything else. Google Chrome on Mobile does not allow any extension so thats safe for their monetization. Its only on desktop which is dwindling and they are using this opportunity to make sure this is contained

Only on Android does this save Google. iOS has had the ability to install content blockers for a few years. They not only work in the browser but also the newer embedded Web Views (WebViewController?)

What happened to ad block blocker blockers?

Also it was bound to happen, ad blocker/privacy co.'s selling out to block ad blockers/sell personal info, drawing from a very typical criminal enterprise behavioral pattern.