Experts are worried that Meta’s recent decision to stop fact-checking on Facebook could put human rights at risk.

In January, Meta announced it was ending its fact-checking program in the US, leading to criticism from researchers who said it could lead to the spread of false information.

Now, Meta’s Oversight Board says the company’s changes in handling harmful content were rushed, according to a statement released on Tuesday.

“People have the right to share their opinions, but they should also be protected from harm,” said board co-chair Helle Thorning-Schmidt.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg made the policy change to please then US President-elect Donald Trump, who opposed fact-checking, according to analysts.

As Meta implements these changes globally, it is important for the company to prevent dangers that may arise from the lack of fact-checking, according to the board.

The board made 17 recommendations, including evaluating the effectiveness of Community Notes compared to third-party fact-checking in situations where false information poses risks to public safety.

Meta previously used third-party fact-checkers, such as AFP, to combat misinformation.

Zuckerberg announced that Meta’s platforms, Facebook and Instagram, will now use “Community Notes” similar to a tool used by X in the US to ensure post accuracy.

Community Notes is a user-contributed moderation tool promoted by X, but its effectiveness in combating falsehoods has been questioned by researchers.

Michael Wagner from the University of Wisconsin-Madison criticized Meta’s reliance on user moderation, calling it a neglect of social responsibility.

While Meta has agreed to follow the Oversight Board’s decisions on content appeals, the company is not bound by its recommendations.