During an early 2026 corporate event filled with dancing mascots and pyrotechnics, the CEO of HTV Network proudly displayed a Vietnamese sign that read “Doanh Thu Đột Phá,” translating to “Record Revenue.” Ngo Anh Tan, the CEO, had cause for celebration as the company had expanded to over 100 employees since its establishment nearly two years ago as an international media entity focusing on authoritative journalism.
However, an investigation by CBC’s visual investigations unit and Radio-Canada’s Décrypteurs uncovered a stark contrast between the company’s stated mission and its actual operations. It was revealed that Ngo and his team were covertly operating an AI-driven empire from Hanoi, Vietnam, spreading fake news and sensationalized stories through social media channels worldwide. Their content ranged from false claims like Elon Musk banning Teslas in Canada to clickbait posts exploiting sensitive events like the Tumbler Ridge shooting.
The investigation unveiled around 200 Facebook pages with over 55 million followers that were linked to approximately 50 HTV-affiliated websites. These websites generated revenue through advertisements displayed alongside misleading political and religious content.
Experts, like Fenwick McKelvey from Concordia University, expressed shock at the deceptive practices, emphasizing the scale of the operation and its impact on users. The company’s name, HTV Network, misleadingly resembled a legitimate Vietnamese broadcaster, complicating efforts to track its activities.
The business model involved mass-producing AI-generated content, such as fabricated news stories, and sharing them on Facebook pages to drive traffic to affiliated websites filled with ads. Despite evidence linking Ngo to the company through corporate and domain records, he denied any knowledge of the HTV sites or pages when questioned.
After CBC/Radio-Canada’s inquiries, the HTV website was abruptly taken down, and Ngo’s social media profiles were privatized, erasing digital traces connecting him to the questionable online activities. The investigation highlighted the role of social media platforms, like Facebook, in incentivizing low-quality, click-driven content production.
Aengus Bridgman from the Media Ecosystem Observatory criticized Meta, Facebook’s parent company, for enabling such fraudulent practices and called for accountability to protect users and democratic processes. Despite attempts to distance himself, Ngo’s association with HTV Network was evident through various digital footprints and corporate documentation.
The uncovering of this network involved a meticulous process combining corporate documents, on-site investigations in Vietnam, and advanced software tools. The investigation began with a report by the Media Ecosystem Observatory on Facebook’s News Slop Economy, identifying numerous Facebook pages and websites managed from Vietnam.
CBC/Radio-Canada’s further investigations linked a unique email address, “kolax9843,” to multiple low-quality websites sharing fake news and clickbait content. Notably, verified Facebook pages with substantial followings were found promoting such deceptive narratives, indicating a profitable scheme.
The article also shed light on the proliferation of low-quality AI-generated content facilitated by advancements in technology and changes in social media monetization policies. The lack of stringent measures by Meta to curb such content raised concerns about the platform’s commitment to combat misinformation.
In conclusion, the exposé on HTV Network underscored the challenges posed by unethical online practices and the need for stricter regulations to safeguard digital spaces and media integrity.