Web pages have included code in them since 1996. Less than 1% of browser users have ever experienced an Internet without code included in the pages they visit (or run NoScript).
While there is issue with how ill informed the general public is in general on how web browsers / http / html operate in the first place, there is no disinformation campaign here - users don't think the browser does or doesn't run code because they don't understand how any of the system they are interacting with operates at all. The average extent of knowledge when it comes to computers is that the Chrome has the Facebook and you need the Wifi logo lit up for it to work, and even that last one is often way beyond the knowledge scope of your average Internet user.
While there is issue with how ill informed the general public is in general on how web browsers / http / html operate in the first place, there is no disinformation campaign here - users don't think the browser does or doesn't run code because they don't understand how any of the system they are interacting with operates at all. The average extent of knowledge when it comes to computers is that the Chrome has the Facebook and you need the Wifi logo lit up for it to work, and even that last one is often way beyond the knowledge scope of your average Internet user.