probably just ignored them. Aren't those privacy protections basically you saying "pretty please don't track me?"

Not on iOS, as I understand it. If you "Ask app not to track" on iOS then the app cannot access your IDFA, which was the ID that previously was used to track a device across apps.

If we're exploring the space of "they're lying" isn't a simpler explanation be that they're lying about their revenue?

You're confusing IDFA with Do Not Track.