On Sunday, January 25, TikTok users reported widespread issues with the app. Problems ranged from being unable to sign in, lagging performance, difficulty reposting videos, repetitive content in their feeds and less-curated recommendations.
According to Downdetector, the outage peaked shortly before 4 a.m. on Sunday, with over 36,000 reports logged. Even after the peak, many users are still experiencing disruptions, prompting a search for alternative platforms.
TikTok has had a difficult few years in the U.S., facing potential bans over national security concerns tied to its Chinese parent, ByteDance. To comply with new regulations, TikTok’s U.S. operations were restructured in December 2025, forming a joint venture with Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX, who collectively hold a 50 percent stake, while ByteDance retains 19.9 percent.
What Is UpScrolled?
Amid the TikTok outage, the app UpScrolled has emerged as one of the most-discussed alternatives. Users on X describe it as a « no censorship, no billionaires » social networking app.
UpScrolled was launched in 2025 and currently gaining attention as a potential alternative to mainstream social media platforms. The app is being discussed not just because of TikTok’s technical outage and ownership changes, but also because of its positioning and early user interest.
« UpScrolled is founded by a Palestinian and promises no censorship and no billionaires, » one X user wrote, while another said: « Everyone I know seems to be moving to Upscrolled. »
On its website, UpScrolled says: « Time to scroll differently. Shadowbanned elsewhere? Not here. UpScrolled is the social platform where every voice gets equal power. No shadowbans. No algorithmic games. No pay-to-play favoritism. »
The mixed feed includes options for text posts, images and video. On X, people are announcing how they are moving to the UpScrolled platform in protest of Big Tech ownership; while, on UpScrolled, current worldwide trending posts include #freepalestine, #ICE and #gaza.
Others have pointed out what users see when trying to view the location « Israel » on UpScrolled. The top results instead direct users to view « Occupied territories of Palestine » and « Palestine. »
App Store Rankings
The interest in UpScrolled is reflected in its App Store rankings. Currently, it sits at number 6 in social networking apps, above platforms such as Discord, signaling a significant number of downloads and early user engagement.
Who Is Behind UpScrolled?
UpScrolled was founded by Issam Hijazi, a Palestinian Australian technologist and CEO of the company behind the app, Recursive Methods Pty Ltd, based in Australia.
The app was developed with support from the Tech for Palestine incubator and is privately funded by Hijazi and a small group of investors.
In a statement, Hijazi said: « UpScrolled is the foundation for a digital ecosystem that puts power back into the hands of the people—not the corporations.
« It’s more than just an alternative to Meta, X, or TikTok—it’s a reimagining of what social media should be: a space where creators, communities, and businesses thrive independently, with real control, transparency and accountability. »
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