Key Takeaways
1. Caleb Friesen, a Canadian YouTuber living in India, explores AI, startups, and Indian culture through his social media.
2. His Instagram post about a poorly maintained footpath gained significant attention, leading to local authorities taking action to fix it.
3. Influencers like Caleb have considerable impact, with their complaints often taken more seriously by authorities compared to local citizens.
4. A new app was created to leverage the perceived influence of foreign nationals, allowing users to report civic issues and generate images of a white man addressing them.
5. Caleb’s initial post sparked a broader conversation about social media’s role in civic accountability and the disparities in how complaints are handled based on nationality.
Caleb Friesen is a well-known YouTuber from Canada who now lives in India. His Instagram profile mentions that he focuses on “Exploring Indian AI and Startups.” However, Caleb doesn’t limit himself to just startups; he also dives into the rich culture, food, and other aspects of life in India.
Footpath Chronicles
On August 20, 2025, Caleb shared a reel on Instagram with the caption, “I tried to walk on the footpath from Domlur to Indiranagar. It didn’t go as I planned.” The title made it clear what the content was about. He walked along a poorly kept footpath and expressed his thoughts on social media.
The post quickly gained traction, racking up over 34,000 likes and nearly 590,000 views. Many commenters expressed their anger over the negligence displayed by local authorities. Not long after, the authorities took action to fix the footpath. Caleb documented this by revisiting the same pathway and sharing his updated opinions.
Influence and Accountability
Commenters pointed out that influencers like Caleb, who is both foreign and popular, wield a lot of influence. They believe that complaints from someone like him are taken more seriously by the authorities. This was supported by multiple comments on Caleb’s post, where users encouraged him to review additional pathways to ensure they are also repaired quickly.
In an unrelated incident, many Indians felt that authorities showed favoritism toward foreigners when a Greek individual lost his phone in a taxi, which was swiftly returned by local police. When this story circulated on social media via the Mumbai Police account, several Indian citizens remarked on the disparity, highlighting that their own complaints had gone unresolved for months.
Harnessing the “Superpower”
To take advantage of this perceived “superpower” that white foreign nationals have, a user on X, Raj Kunkolienkar (@kunksed), developed an app. The app allows users to upload pictures of dirty streets or footpaths and generates an AI image of a white man addressing the issues to local authorities.
The app quickly produced over a thousand images, leading to increased API costs. The app’s creator then stated, “If you want to help fund this project, DM me.” In response, another user on X, Anirudha Kulkarni (@4n1rudh4), offered financial support to keep the app going. As of now, the website remains active and functional.
Caleb Friesen also supported the app, happily sharing it from his X account @caleb_friesen2. What started as a simple reel about a bad footpath has sparked a larger conversation about how visibility and influence on social media can lead to quicker civic action in India. This ongoing discussion raises important questions about bias, accountability, and the significant role digital platforms play in managing everyday infrastructure.
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