Online ads are a major bugbear for web users, hence the existence of ad blocking software. Tools such as AdBlock Plus have long been popular, but despite efforts by publishers to discourage their use, more and more people rely on ad blockers to improve their online experience.

The Internet Advertising Bureau reports that ad blocking is on the rise. In the UK, 18 percent of people use software to prevent the appearance of ads -- up from 15 percent just five months ago. Not everyone, however, is looking to block every single ad they might encounter.

Many people cite performance issues as a reason why they're reluctant to run or end up uninstalling internet security products.

Independent testing organization AV-Comparatives has released the results of its latest studies on a range of security products, focussing on how they impact system performance.

People are more concerned than ever before about online privacy, and this is the very reason Consumer Watchdog filed a petition to force websites to honor Do Not Track Requests. The Federal Communications Commission handed down a ruling which is not going to please privacy advocates.

In short, the FCC has said that websites should be under no obligation to take notice of Do Not Track requests. The commission dismissed Consumer Watchdog's petition that called for 'edge providers' -- such as Google, Facebook, YouTube, Pandora, Netflix, and LinkedIn -- to respect people's privacy if they enabled the Do Not Track option in their web browser.

Few people would argue against the idea that router placement -- particularly when it comes to maximizing Wi-Fi footprint -- is important. But it is not just the location that's key; broadband speeds could also be affected by seemingly innocuous objects in the home.

The head of the UK's communications regulator Ofcom warns that numerous electrical goods in the home can interfere with signals and slow down the internet. It's a problem that affects around 20 percent of households, and while there are some obvious culprits on the list of web-killers such as stereos and baby monitors, there are also some surprises.

Every home and business in the UK will have access to "fast broadband" by 2020. This is the latest pledge from Prime Minister David Cameron, who said that access to the internet "should be a right".

At the moment, 83 percent of people have access to superfast (24Mbps and faster) internet connections, and by 2017 this is expected to rise to 95 percent. The latest plan is directed at the "last 5 percent" -- such as people in remote areas -- and will oblige broadband providers to supply at least 10Mbps broadband to anyone who demands it.

The Draft Communications Data Bill (or "snooper's charter") has proved very controversial in the UK, but is yet to be implemented. A key component of the proposed bill is a requirement for ISPs to retain records of every single users' browsing history for a full year. So far the bill has been kept at bay, but now the police are looking to place very much the same requirements on ISPs.

The police have lobbied the government, complaining that traditional methods of surveillance are insufficient to deal with the current levels of online crime. Proposals that the police should be able to access all and any records about someone's online activity without the need for a warrant are already viewed as an invasion of privacy, but police demands are all the more controversial since the snooper's charter was successfully blocked by the Liberal Democrats.

Hard on the heels of last week's TalkTalk breach, another British utility company, British Gas, has contacted over 2,000 customers to warn them that their email addresses and passwords have been posted online.

Yet according to information security company High-Tech Bridge many large companies could be leaving customer data at risk via their websites.

It may not be entirely surprising in the wake of recent high-profile attacks like that on TalkTalk, but a new survey of almost 3,500 users from UK broadband comparison site Broadband Genie reveals that we're losing trust in the internet.

Among the findings are that 75 percent of Brits believe companies aren't doing enough to secure their personal data, and 15 percent said they had their personal data exposed by a leak or a hack.

Looking to move to a new area? You may wish to add another location to your list of possibilities. Kansas may have Google, but not to be outdone Tennessee is going one better on the search giant, specifically if you live in the area of Chattanooga, a town situated near the Great Smokey Mountains.

The first ever 10 gigabit residential internet service has now been rolled out, appropriately installed for someone who has a pressing need for such massive bandwidth.

Digital services provide real-time indicators into buyer behavior and tend to reflect the overall health of global markets. Understanding these patterns gives online services companies the opportunity to redirect efforts to different regions or target their campaigns to where the opportunity is emerging.

Digital commerce solutions company Avangate today released findings from its first Digital Services Benchmark. The new report tracks global consumption of digital services to identify regions with the fastest growth and greatest contraction.

It's easy to assume that younger generations who have grown up with the internet spend more time online, but new research suggests that this isn't the case.

The 2015 State of the User Experience report from content delivery specialist Limelight Networks time spent online in the past year has dramatically increased, with 45 percent of respondents spending more than 15 hours a week on their laptop, tablet or phone.

One in five American households was impacted by a data breach in the last year, yet 40 percent failed to properly secure their wireless routers.

This is one of the findings of a new survey from security company ESET and the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA). It reveals that despite the number of breaches 79 percent of Americans still feel safe in their connected homes, with almost half (49 percent) showing a remarkably strong sense of confidence.

The holiday season is peak selling time for online businesses, so it's imperative that websites optimize their shopping experiences to acquire first-time visitors as customers.

Cloud application delivery specialist Instart Logic is launching new performance solutions designed to optimize website experiences for retail and e-commerce sites.

DNS is the backbone of the internet, but the growth in cloud usage and the Internet of Things is putting traditional approaches to traffic management under pressure.

Intelligent DNS and traffic management company NS1, today announced the launch of Pulsar, a cloud-based Real User Monitoring (RUM) solution that brings the power of user level data to a company’s advanced data feed and traffic management capabilities.

We all demand to be connected at all times; losing connection to the internet is like losing a limb for some people. With this in mind, handset manufacturers have taken it upon themselves to introduce technologies that ensure as stable a connection as possible, switching between Wi-Fi and cellular as and when necessary.

It's something that can be found in iOS 9, but many people who have made the upgrade to the latest version of the operating system, or have just taken delivery of a new iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus, have been taken by surprise by it. The reason? iOS 9 has a feature called Wi-Fi Assist which will automatically switch to a cellular connection when Wi-Fi signal is weak, and it has led to a massive increase in data usage for some people. The solution to hefty data bills? Disable the feature.