The Department of Homeland Security has terminated a government board formed earlier this year to combat online disinformation, after a range of critics said it could stifle free expression on the internet and had an unclear mission.

It encountered widespread criticism from conservatives, civil liberties advocates and some current and former officials.

The decision to fold the Disinformation Governance Board was widely anticipated, and followed a recommendation from the Homeland Security Advisory Council, a group of former officials and security experts that provides advice to DHS leadership.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has “terminated the Disinformation Governance Board and rescinded its charter,” DHS said on its website late Wednesday. “The Department will continue to address threat streams that undermine the security of our country consistent with the law, while upholding the privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties of the American people and promoting transparency in our work.”