Why TikTok users are flocking to UpScrolled for a censorship-free experience

As TikTok users continue to complain about glitches, shadowbans and unexplained violation reports, many are beginning to abandon the platform in search of alternatives.

One such option is UpScrolled, a new social media app that promises no censorship and no shadowbanning.

Because of the anti-censorship stance, the platform is a safe space for discussions on humanitarian crises, including the plight of Palestinians, as well as the ongoing conflicts and war in Sudan and Congo, with a category called "Global Awareness" featured on the app.  

UpScrolled was launched last year and was founded by Palestinian-Jordanian-Australian technologist Issam Hijazi. According to his LinkedIn profile, Hijazi had previously worked at tech giants such as IBM and Oracle.

On UpScrolled's website, it says: "UpScrolled is a social media platform designed to empower users worldwide — a space to freely express thoughts, share moments, and connect with others. We built it because people are asking for more transparency, authenticity, and trust in the platforms they use every day."

At the time of publishing, it ranked number 2 on the Apple Store and number 8 on the Play Store. 

We checked out the app, and this is what you should know. 

The feed resembles the earlier version of Instagram (you know, when it was more about people just posting random selfies, instead of trying to put their best foot forward)

Currently, it does not have AI moderators, so if you see anything you don't like, the most effective action is report and block, so moderators who are very much human can take the necessary action. 

The app has topics, namely: Sports, news, politics, film, tech, music, gaming, food, health, travel, money, fashion, culture, science, anime, LOL, pets, books, history, art, nature, photography, hobbies, just saying and Global Awareness. 

The global awareness topic is interesting and makes it stand out, as most social media platforms don't have dedicated sections to talk about humanitarian issues. 

To create content, you press the plus sign, where it will give the option to share your thoughts in text form, share photos and record or upload a video. There is also a notification bar, where it shows who followed you, who mentioned you in a comment and who liked your comment. 

It's also worth noting that the app is relatively new and has recently gained popularity, so your feed may appear somewhat unusual and unfamiliar at first.

But what was wrong with TikTok?

Simply put, people are unhappy with the new ownership. 

The ownership of the app, previously Chinese-owned, was under review for potential security risks to the United States from late 2019 until 2025.

It is now majority-owned by a group of US-backed investors and companies, including Texas-based tech giant Oracle. TikTok's former majority owner, Chinese tech company ByteDance, still owns around 20% stake in it.

In the days following the app's transition to new ownership on January 22, some content creators, celebrities, and everyday TikTok users deleted the app, citing content censorship under the new terms of service agreement users must accept to continue using it.

People also reported glitches in videos, especially in videos criticising ICE and US President Donald Trump.

IOL