Big, noisy and coming to a town near you - why the data centre backlash is growing

These giant, warehouse-like buildings power virtually all our internet activity, from our web searches and emails to movie downloads and online banking.

But the speed at which they're growing, the enormous amount of electricity they consume and concerns about their environmental impact are fuelling a public backlash around the world.

In the US, they've become a huge issue ahead of the midterm elections on 3 November, with both Republicans and opposition Democrats coming out against their development.

Here's what you need to know about the data centre boom, and why opposition is growing.