App gains popularity following TikToks US market shift

TikTok Users Flock to New Platform Amid Concerns Over Censorship

A new social media application, UpScrolled, has gained popularity across several countries, including the United States, as users seek an alternative to TikTok following its recent takeover by US-backed investors and companies. The platform, created by Palestinian-Jordanian-Australian entrepreneur Issam Hijazi, promises a “transparent tech” experience.

The move comes after Larry Ellison, owner of Oracle, acquired a stake in TikTok’s US-based entity, sparking concerns about censorship of pro-Palestine posts on the popular app. This led to the permanent ban of Emmy Award-winning journalist Bisan Owda from Gaza, prompting outrage and boycott calls from her supporters.

UpScrolled has surged in popularity, ranking number one in the “social networking” category of Apple’s App Store free apps by Wednesday. The platform allows users to post photos, short-form videos, and text content, similar to X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. Its interface is comparable to X, with features such as liking, commenting, and reposting.

The app has gained significant traction, particularly among users who have been dissatisfied with TikTok’s content moderation policies. The “Discover Page” on UpScrolled has become a hub for posts related to Palestine, with hundreds of user-generated content flooding the platform. High-profile figures such as Chris Smalls and Jacob Berger have also joined the app.

UpScrolled was founded in July 2025 by Issam Hijazi, who previously worked with Big Tech companies like Oracle and IBM. The platform is backed by Tech for Palestine, an advocacy project that funds pro-Palestine tech initiatives. In an interview, Hijazi stated that he created UpScrolled as a response to the high rate of content censorship on popular apps.

The app’s servers experienced technical difficulties due to the sudden influx of new users, but these issues have since been resolved.

Source: Al Jazeera