Every Christmas growing up in Minnesota, Jimmy Darts91裸聊视频� parents gave him $200 in cash: $100 for himself and $100 for a stranger.

Now, with over 12 million followers on TikTok and several million more on other platforms, is his full-time job.

, whose real surname is Kellogg, is one of the biggest creators of 91裸聊视频渒indness content,91裸聊视频� a subset of social media videos devoted to helping strangers in need, often with cash amassed through GoFundMe and other crowdfunding methods. A growing number of creators like Kellogg give away thousands of dollars 91裸聊视频� sometimes even more 91裸聊视频� on camera as they also encourage their large followings to donate.

91裸聊视频淭he internet is a pretty crazy, pretty nasty place, but there91裸聊视频檚 still good things happening on there,91裸聊视频� Kellogg told The Associated Press.

Not everyone likes these videos, though, with some viewers deeming them, at their best, performative, and at their worst, exploitative.

Critics argue that recording a stranger, often unknowingly, and sharing a video of them online to gain social media clout is problematic. Beyond clout, content creators can make money off the views they get on individual videos. When views reach the millions, as they often do for Kellogg and his peers, they make enough to .

Comedian , a content creator formerly known online as 91裸聊视频淪cumbag Dad,91裸聊视频� creates parodies designed to highlight the faults he finds with this content 91裸聊视频� and its proponents 91裸聊视频� as one of the most vocal critics of 91裸聊视频渒indness content.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淎 lot of young people have a very utilitarian mindset. They think of things only in measurable value: 91裸聊视频業t doesn91裸聊视频檛 matter what he did, he helped a million people91裸聊视频�,91裸聊视频� Podray said.

Recording practices prompt questions of ethics

From the recording devices and methods down to the selection of subjects, 91裸聊视频渒indness content91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频� like everything on social media 91裸聊视频� exists on a spectrum.

Some creators approach strangers and ask them for advice or for a favor, and if they bite, they receive a prize. Others choose to reward strangers they see doing a good deed. Kellogg performs a 91裸聊视频渒indness challenge,91裸聊视频� asking a stranger for something and returning it in kind.

Many of these strangers are unaware they91裸聊视频檙e being filmed. Some creators employ hidden cameras and aim to record subjects in a discreet manner. Kellogg said he wants to be as 91裸聊视频渟ecret about it as possible,91裸聊视频� but asks for consent to share the video after the interaction. Kellogg said most agree because they look 91裸聊视频渓ike a superhero91裸聊视频� after his challenge.

Another charitable content creator, , said he uses a GoPro camera and tries to make recording 91裸聊视频渆xtremely noticeable,91裸聊视频� adding, 91裸聊视频淐onsent91裸聊视频檚 the biggest thing.91裸聊视频�

Regardless of the recording method, some see the process as predatory.

91裸聊视频淭hese guys always find someone with cancer or always find someone who can91裸聊视频檛 pay their bills because they91裸聊视频檙e stalking through underserved and poor areas and they91裸聊视频檙e just sort of waiting,91裸聊视频� Podray said. 91裸聊视频淟ooking through the parking lot like, 91裸聊视频楬e looks pathetic enough91裸聊视频�.91裸聊视频�

Karen Hoekstra, the marketing and communications manager for the , studies TikTok-based influencer philanthropy and says the videos, at times, take advantage of their subjects.

91裸聊视频淭he model of the man on the street walking up and approaching a stranger and handing them money is 91裸聊视频� we91裸聊视频檝e all heard this phrase, terrible as it is 91裸聊视频� it just strikes me as poverty porn,91裸聊视频� Hoekstra said. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 exploitation.91裸聊视频�

Calls of exploitation often come when creators feature the same people across multiple videos, especially when they appear to be homeless or have a drug addiction. Liljenquist features some people frequently and maintains that his recurring subjects are like his 91裸聊视频渂est friends.91裸聊视频�

One user commented on an that recent content feels like Liljenquist is 91裸聊视频減laying case worker for views,91裸聊视频� as he posted several videos of a woman who followers suspect is struggling with a drug addiction. He records himself bringing her food, giving her a ride in his Tesla, and asking her questions that often get one-word responses.

Liljenquist said criticism doesn91裸聊视频檛 bother him because he knows his intentions are good.

91裸聊视频淚 love these people,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淭hey love me.91裸聊视频�

Lack of checks and balances

Some criticize the showmanship of 91裸聊视频渒indness content,91裸聊视频� but visibility is crucial to the model that relies heavily on crowdfunding. Kellogg is known to start GoFundMe fundraisers on behalf of his video subjects, usually bringing in tens of thousands of dollars in viewer donations.

Kellogg, Liljenquist and scores of other creators also use their personal accounts on payment apps like Venmo, CashApp or PayPal to accept donations.

Tory Martin, also of the Johnson Center as its director of communications and strategic partnerships, said transparency about donations is 91裸聊视频渘ot an option if it91裸聊视频檚 just going to an individual.91裸聊视频�

Although these creators aren91裸聊视频檛 held to standards and regulations like nonprofits, Liljenquist said he feels donor dollars go much further in his hands than in the hands of traditional organizations, which he said are 91裸聊视频渄esigned for failure.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淣onprofits 91裸聊视频� not all of them, there are some good ones 91裸聊视频� but I would just suggest you do your homework on the nonprofits that you are giving money to because there91裸聊视频檚 a good amount of them who take advantage of the system,91裸聊视频� he said.

Some creators have set up nonprofit organizations or foundations to support their work, but that is not a widespread practice.

Podray said he is 91裸聊视频�100% sure91裸聊视频� some creators 91裸聊视频渢ake a rake or that there91裸聊视频檚 some sort of nonsense going on.91裸聊视频� He also maintains that select creators hand out fake money to cash in on the trend.

Kellogg said seeing fraudulent or exploitative videos is tough for him, worrying, 91裸聊视频淢y gosh, every Facebook mom just fell for this and thinks it91裸聊视频檚 real.91裸聊视频�

New wave of philanthropy

While controversy swirls around these videos in some online circles, they are part of a hugely popular social media trend with millions of supporters and thousands who are compelled to donate after watching.

Although Hoekstra has concerns about some creators91裸聊视频� methods, she said the introduction to charitable giving these videos make for young people is valuable.

91裸聊视频淎nything that can present philanthropy to them in a new way and make it accessible and make it exciting I think is a good thing,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淥bviously, there91裸聊视频檚 going to be a learning curve, but I think it91裸聊视频檚 really exciting to see philanthropy be so accessible and understandable and embraced in these new spaces and in new ways.91裸聊视频�

Some skeptics have become supporters. Kyle Benavidez said he used to see 91裸聊视频渒indness content91裸聊视频� on social media and think it was fake. But after his mother was featured in one of and a Kellogg created for her raised over $95,000 to support their family while her husband is in the hospital with cancer, he said Kellogg91裸聊视频檚 online persona is true to his real-life character.

91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 a chapel in the hospital and I always go there every morning just to pray. 91裸聊视频楬opefully something happens.91裸聊视频� And then Jimmy came to our lives,91裸聊视频� Benavidez, 20, said. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 like God sent him.91裸聊视频�

Kellogg shows no signs of slowing down his philanthropic work any time soon and rolls out videos across his social platforms almost every day. Still, he says doing good deeds on camera only matters if he and his peers keep it up when the cameras aren91裸聊视频檛 rolling.

91裸聊视频淵ou can fool people all day and you can make money and do this and that, but God sees your heart,91裸聊视频� he said.