SAN FRANCISCO (NYTIMES) - Facebook said it planned to lift its ban on political advertising across its network, resuming a form of digital promotion that has been criticised for spreading misinformation, falsehoods and inflaming voters.

The social network said on Wednesday (March 3) that it would allow advertisers to buy new ads about "social issues, elections or politics" beginning Thursday, according to a copy of an e-mail sent to political advertisers and viewed by The New York Times.