As part of its investigation, Facebook claims that it found links between BL and Epoch Media Group (EMG), which is the parent group of The Epoch Times. It is this affiliation that mainstream media outlets like NBC and NPR used to make the argument that there was a connection between The Epoch Times content and the removal of the BL network of accounts from Facebook.
The BL, or Beautiful Life network, operates primarily within the US, though it is based in Vietnam. During the course of its investigation, Facebook says it found ties between BL and the EMG, which operates The Epoch Times, among many other news media properties. BL shared The Epoch Times content, as so many other pages. Due to the perceived ties between BL and EMG, Facebook is now investigating the EMG.
EMG has stated that it is not linked to BL. Per a blog post from EMG, “The BL (BL) and its activities have been portrayed as being part of Epoch Media Group (EMG) and by extension The Epoch Times. This is categorically false. EMG has never been affiliated with BL and does not engage in or support the behavior BL is alleged to be involved in… The situation is complicated by the fact that BL is connected with the independent company Đại Kỷ Nguyên (Vietnamese Epoch Times, or VET), with which EMG was forced to cut ties in October 2018.”
