What is UpScrolled? Inside the fast-growing social app gaining traction

UpScrolled, a social media application founded by Palestinian-Jordanian-Australian entrepreneur Issam Hijazi, has seen a sharp surge in global downloads following the recent takeover of TikTok’s US operations by a majority American-owned investor group, according to multiple reports.

Launched less than a year ago, UpScrolled climbed to the top position in Apple’s App Store free social networking category in the United States this week. It also ranked among the most downloaded apps in the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, reflecting growing international interest. The company said a spike in sign-ups over the weekend briefly overwhelmed its servers, underscoring the scale of the sudden influx.

What is UpScrolled?

UpScrolled positions itself as a platform built around what it describes as transparent technology. According to information published on its website, the app aims to allow users to share opinions without the risk of bias, shadowbanning or opaque algorithms. The company states that it does not promote agendas and that every post has an equal chance of being seen.

The platform supports text posts, photos, short-form videos and stories. Its feed structure differs from that of TikTok and Instagram. Users can browse a Following feed that displays posts strictly in chronological order, showing the most recent content first. A separate Discover feed surfaces posts from accounts users do not follow, based on visible engagement metrics such as likes, comments and reshares, rather than aggressive personalisation.

UpScrolled’s rapid rise has coincided with heightened scrutiny of TikTok after the company confirmed last week that it had signed a deal with a consortium of non-Chinese investors to keep the app operating in the United States. Under the arrangement, ByteDance owns less than 20 per cent of the new entity, while Oracle, private equity firm Silver Lake and Abu Dhabi-based investment company MGX each hold a 15 per cent stake.

Rise of UpScrolled amidst TikTok US takeover

The takeover triggered concern among some users who fear that TikTok’s new ownership structure could influence content moderation and political speech. Critics, including several high-profile users such as US Senator Chris Murphy and singer Billie Eilish, alleged that posts critical of US immigration enforcement were being limited or suppressed. Some users also reported difficulties searching for information related to protests in Minneapolis following the killing of Alex Pretti by border patrol agents.

TikTok said the issues were linked to a data centre outage that affected app functionality rather than intentional censorship. However, concerns intensified after TikTok updated its privacy policy to allow tracking of users’ GPS location, prompting calls from some quarters to delete the app and switch to alternatives.

Civil rights organisation the Council on American-Islamic Relations described the new TikTok venture as pro-Israel and publicly commended UpScrolled for what it said was its protection of free speech amid what it characterised as growing censorship on mainstream platforms.

Rising numbers of UpScroll

According to available figures, UpScrolled has recorded around 140,000 total downloads to date, including approximately 75,000 installs in the United States. The app’s user base reportedly jumped from about 40,000 to over one million users within a short period as disaffected TikTok users sought alternatives.

UpScrolled is not alone in benefiting from the moment. Other TikTok alternatives have also reported rapid growth, including Skylight, an open-source short-video platform that has crossed 380,000 sign-ups.

While it remains unclear whether UpScrolled can sustain its momentum, its emphasis on chronological feeds, visible engagement metrics and a stated refusal to shadowban has struck a chord with users unsettled by algorithmic control, political influence and data privacy concerns surrounding larger social media platforms.