During an early 2026 corporate event filled with dancing mascots and pyrotechnics, HTV Network’s CEO, Ngo Anh Tan, displayed a Vietnamese sign that read “Doanh Thu Đột Phá,” translating to “Record Revenue.” The company, which had grown to over 100 employees since its launch as an “international media firm” with a focus on authoritative journalism two years ago, came under scrutiny by CBC and Radio-Canada’s Décrypteurs.
The investigation revealed that HTV Network, despite its proclaimed mission, actually operates an AI-slop empire from Hanoi, Vietnam. This operation spreads fake and sensationalist content globally, including stories like Elon Musk purportedly banning Teslas in Canada and clickbait articles exploiting the Tumbler Ridge shooting. The network controlled nearly 200 Facebook pages with over 55 million followers, directing traffic to around 50 affiliated websites that profit from ads displayed alongside misleading political and religious content.
Experts, like Fenwick McKelvey from Concordia University, described the operation as “totally deceptive” and highlighted the challenges in tracing its activities due to the shared name with a legitimate Vietnamese broadcaster. The model involved mass-producing AI-generated content, sharing it on Facebook pages to drive traffic to HTV’s websites hosting ads for various products and services.
Despite denying involvement with HTV sites or pages, CEO Ngo’s phone number and personal information aligned with corporate records and domain registration details. Following inquiries from CBC, the HTV website was taken down, and Ngo’s social media profile became private, erasing digital connections to the network.
Aengus Bridgman from the Media Ecosystem Observatory criticized Meta, Facebook’s parent company, for incentivizing low-quality, clickbait content through its platform without adequate oversight. Meta did not respond to requests for comment regarding this issue.
The investigation into HTV Network’s operations involved analyzing corporate documents, conducting on-the-ground investigations in Vietnam, and using tools like DomainTools and OSINT Industries. The network’s connection to HTV was unraveled by linking email addresses and websites managed out of Vietnam to the company.
The report exposed how HTV Network, through its AI-driven content production, leveraged Meta’s lax monetization policies to profit from engaging but misleading content. The company’s rapid growth and deceptive practices highlight the challenges posed by fake news and misinformation in the digital age.