A deepfake video network is spreading false information about the U.S. trade war: report

Summary

• A McGill University report identifies a likely non-Canadian network using deepfakes to spread politically divisive content to Canadians.
• The network creates deepfake videos featuring real influencers, with many focusing on the U.S.-Canada trade war.
• One video containing false information about a non-existent ultimatum from U.S. President Donald Trump garnered over five million views.
• The operation involves nearly 300 TikTok & Instagram accounts that posted more than 3,201 videos viewed 22.1 million times in the past three months.
• While the exact operators remain unidentified, the report states the network is almost certainly run outside of North America.
• This information was published by The Canadian Press on Nov. 12, 2026.