The internet can be an ugly place – and not just in terms of cyberbullies or the popularity of sites like Ashley Madison. Some of the world’s most popular websites – like Reddit, Wikipedia and 4chan – are just plain ugly. And yet they're continuing to thrive in an increasingly design-savvy world.

Overly fancy fonts can be frustrating, but new research suggests that making messages harder to read may actually make them easier to maintain. Despite people saying they prefer simpler typefaces, those that are difficult to take in may make people more likely to purchase products.

With 79% of Brits rarely or never clicking online ads, brands are wasting huge sums of money on ineffective advertising. So how can companies entice consumers to voluntarily eyeball their content? Canvas8 sat down with 15 British men and women to find out what they think about online ads.

Advert-blocking browser plugins are growing at a rate of nearly 70% year-on-year. The most popular, AdBlocker, reached 150 million users in June 2014. And if people really are more likely to climb Mount Everest than click a banner ad, what is next for online advertising?