TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - UpScrolled, a social media platform founded by Palestinian-Jordanian-Australian entrepreneur Issam Hijazi, has surged in popularity across several countries, including the United States, as users search for alternatives to TikTok following recent ownership changes and censorship concerns.
The app gained momentum after TikTok’s US operations were taken over last week by a consortium of US-backed investors and corporations.
Among them is Oracle founder Larry Ellison, a close ally of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose involvement has raised alarm among users over alleged censorship of pro-Palestinian content.
TikTok’s global operations remain under its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. However, criticism intensified after TikTok permanently banned Emmy Award-winning journalist and Al Jazeera contributor Bisan Owda from Gaza on Wednesday.
The move sparked online outrage and renewed calls for boycotts, with users also accusing the platform of censoring content critical of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Amid the backlash, UpScrolled rose to the top of app download charts in the United States this week, ranking first in the “Social Networking” category on Apple’s free App Store on Wednesday. The app also recorded strong download numbers in the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.
UpScrolled reported a surge in new users over the weekend, which briefly disrupted its servers. The company said the issue had since been resolved.
What Is UpScrolled?
Launched just a year ago, UpScrolled combines photo sharing, short videos, and text-based posts in a format that blends elements of X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. Its interface allows users to like, comment on, and repost content, though most users appear to favor text and photo posts over short videos.
The app features a “Discover Page” similar to Snapchat’s, where Palestine has emerged as the most prominent topic. The page is filled with posts documenting the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and expressions of solidarity with Palestinians.
Several public figures have joined the platform, including US labor activist Chris Smalls, a former organizer with the Amazon Workers Union, and actor Jacob Berger of Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Both participated in the Gaza Freedom Flotilla in July 2025.
Some users reported video disruptions earlier this week. In an update on Thursday, UpScrolled attributed the issue to a surge in downloads and said the bug had been fixed.
Who Developed UpScrolled?
UpScrolled was founded in July 2025 by Issam Hijazi, a former engineer at Oracle and IBM. The platform is supported by Tech for Palestine, an advocacy initiative funding pro-Palestinian technology projects.
In an interview with tech news outlet Rest of World, Hijazi said he left Big Tech amid what he described as widespread censorship and the ongoing war in Gaza, which the UN Commission of Inquiry has characterized as genocide.
“I couldn’t take it any more,” Hijazi said. “I lost family members in Gaza, and I didn’t want to be complicit. So I was like, I’m done with this, I want to feel useful.”
Hijazi said he saw a gap in the market for platforms outside Big Tech where users could share content freely. “I found this gap in the market, with a lot of people asking why there is no alternative to the Big Tech platforms for their content, which was getting censored,” he said.
“So I thought, why don’t we build our own? I just rolled up my sleeves and built it.”
UpScrolled says it moderates only illegal content, such as drug sales, and does not employ engagement-driven algorithms designed to keep users endlessly scrolling. The platform’s feed remains fully chronological, a feature largely abandoned by major social media companies.
While posts on the Discover Page are currently ranked by engagement, the team is testing AI-based personalization tools.
On its website, UpScrolled says it aims to give users a space to “freely express thoughts, share moments, and connect with others,” adding that the platform is owned by its users and “not by hidden algorithms or outside agendas.”
Rapid Growth
According to marketing intelligence firm Sensor Tower, UpScrolled has been downloaded approximately 400,000 times in the United States and around 700,000 times globally since its launch in June 2025.
Downloads surged in the US beginning January 22, the same day TikTok finalized its US restructuring deal. Sensor Tower estimates that 85 percent of US downloads occurred between January 21 and 27.
On Wednesday, UpScrolled topped the US Apple App Store’s social networking category, surpassing Meta’s Threads, WhatsApp, and TikTok. It also ranked sixth among free social apps on Google Play, where TikTok and TikTok Lite remained dominant.
“Crazy load on our servers. So exciting!,” Hijazi wrote on the platform on Sunday. “Apologies for the disruptions. We’re increasing capacity and expect stability within 12 to 24 hours.”
Censorship Concerns Around TikTok
Since TikTok’s US deal took effect, the hashtag #TikTokCensorship has trended on platforms such as X and Instagram. Users have accused TikTok of suppressing pro-Palestinian content, criticism of ICE, and posts critical of President Donald Trump.
California Governor Gavin Newsom said on Tuesday that his office would investigate TikTok following complaints that content mentioning convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was flagged or removed.
Separately, TikTok creators have reported technical issues since the ownership transition, including videos receiving no views and slow upload speeds.
Read: MUI Urges Indonesia to Withdraw from Gaza Board of Peace
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