By Nick Williams, business reporter
Minnesotan Josh Liljenquist, 26, has built an online audience of more than 5 million followers for his TikTok videos. He films as he orders hundreds of dollars worth of food from restaurants in the Twin Cities and then gives it away to unhoused individuals.
His TikToks routinely garner hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of views, but the account's success raises questions about the line between the positive influence of broadcasting good deeds vs. the potential unintended harm of social media exploitation.
Each video earns about $200 to $400 across his various platforms, including TikTok, Facebook and YouTube, Liljenquist said. More views earn more money.
On the topic of doing more for the unhoused, columnist Evan Ramstad writes today about why the state's home construction industry is struggling to preserve the region's reputation for housing affordability and meet demand for homes that would be affordable to lower-income residents.
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