Ads are following me online. Make them stop!

"Help! Ads are following me online! How can I stop them?" I hear your cry of frustration, and I understand how you feel. I, too, have been stalked by ads. The most recent example: In the course of updating my Excel manual, I went over to the Microsoft.com website to research how much Excel costs. The next thing I know, I'm being followed all over the Web by ads for Microsoft Office and Excel, like Tom Cruise in Minority Report. But there's a way to disable the ads. Here's how:

If you see an ad that is following you, look in the upper right corner of the banner for a small triangle that says "Ad Choices" or something similar:

Click the triangle. If the ad is part of the Criteo network, you'll see a page that shows you why you are being followed ("These are the last products that you viewed on Microsoft Store US's website") and what products are being offered as a result. Scroll down to the heading that says, "You prefer to disable all personalized banners displayed by Criteo?" and click the link that says "To completely disable Criteo's retargeting service, click here." I've circled it below:

You will no longer be stalked by the ads!

Note that this only works for Criteo's service. If an advertisement is following you and it is served by another company, there may be another process involved ... or they may not be a way to escape.