It is the third time quarterly revenues from Great Britain have surpassed the GBP6.27 million mark. The revenues represented 11% of all revenues in the first quarter of 2012, level with the 11% in the first quarter of 2011. The internet giant reported global revenues of $10.65bn (GBP6.67bn) in the first quarter of 2012, a 24% increase on the first three months of 2011. The average cost-per-click, including clicks related to ads served on Google sites and the sites of network members, decreased by approximately 12% from Q1 2011, and approximately 6% from the fourth quarter of 2011.

The Advertising Association says the figure for 2011 rose to GBP16.1 billion. Of that, online advertising, including search, display and video, accounted for the lion's share, 29.7%, up early 17% to GBP4.78 billion. Advertising growth is expected to continue in 2012, with new AA forecasts tracking a 3.8% increase, fuelled by 8.9% lift for the internet, while out-of-home is expected to climb 5% as the biggest beneficiary of the London 2012 Olympics.

Currently, the commission says, the average person living within the 27-nation bloc has at least two devices connected to the web, a computer and a smartphone. It expects the figure to rise to seven by 2015, with a total of 25 billion wirelessly connected to the net worldwide. By the end of the decade it says that could climb to 50 billion. The regulator is launching a consultation over controls of the way information is gathered, stored and processed, saying it wants to "ensure the rights of the individual."

"Starting today, you will be able to download an expanded archive of your Facebook account history," a note on Facebook's somewhat-obscure European public policy blog stated on Thursday. But a small group of law students called Europe v Facebook aren't satisfied. They say Facebook holds way more information about its users than it generally lets on, and they remain convinced that its refusal to cough up is illegal in Europe. The groups is urging people to complain directly to the European Commission.

Although invitation-only for now, the tools are aimed at broadcasters, producers and brands and will help them make their own second-screen apps and websites designed to be used while viewers watch their shows. The British firm has struck a deal with social TV startup Zeebox to allow companies using its platform to make their content available through its apps as well. The new set of tools could be used to create synchronised quizzes, audience polling and other interactive features, with the key point being that the TV firms will be creating them.

This UK-based social service is out with an iOS app to let friends recommend across 10 categories, from books and films to places to eat. But unlike apps like Amen or Foursquare that rely on people using the app to suggest or tag things, this one says it will also take into account recommendations made by contacts elsewhere, such as Facebook and email, who do not have to be signed up to LoveThis to put their two cents into the mix.

Simon Spalding will lead the international expansion at Yummi Media Group, wherein a new game format proposition will be rolled out. It makes real contributors of audiences to on-screen action by interacting with a mobile app while the show is being broadcast. This is made possible by Yummi's in-house technology platform which integrates mobile, social gaming and live broadcast events. During his tenure at Fremantle Spalding worked on a range of TV franchises including Idol, The Price is Right and Baywatch.

The new smartphone and table app Currents, which helps readers explore newspaper and web content more easily, is now available for download in the UK. It was launched in the U.S. in December but has now been given a significant upgrade in line with its global release. The streamlined news service has added 400 new publishers and over 14,000 self-published editions to its line-up, as well as quicker syncing. Google expects the updated app to rival current market leader Flipboard.

A study of social media habits in 10 countries by Kantar Media finds that just 35% of Brits read the comments on online news stories and only 12% would considering positing a comment or submitting an article. Brazil, Argentina and Mexico were the top three countries, where between 41 and 47% of respondents said they read user-generated material and 25% said they'd post their own. At the bottom were Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

Iwitness24 has generated front page stories in the Norwich Evening News and Stevenage Comet since Archant launched the platform in January. Richard Willner, who is responsible to the site, says the regional publishing group's audience has taken to iwitness24 "largely because of the ease of use of the platform." Archant launched the "community news platform" two weeks after cutting jobs at its Suffolk division when it pulled the plug on the Saturday edition of the Ipswich Evening Star.