For years, TikTok has reigned supreme as the king of short-form video content, a cultural force shaping trends, launching careers, and dominating social screens around the world. But in recent weeks something unexpected has happened: thousands of users are quietly (and sometimes loudly) abandoning TikTok for a new social platform called UpScrolled.
This migration isn’t happening because UpScrolled paid creators or bought ads. It’s happening because many people are fed up with how TikTok has been evolving. What was once a playground for creativity now feels, to some users, like a place where their voices are controlled, their posts are manipulated by unseen forces, or their content simply doesn’t get seen at all. And that frustration has launched UpScrolled into the spotlight.
The catalyst for this shift was a major change inside TikTok. In January 2026, TikTok’s American operations were spun off into a new entity run by American investors, including major tech companies. This move was designed to address regulatory pressure and avoid potential bans, but it quickly sparked concern among users.
For some, the change in ownership raised immediate alarms about censorship and moderation. Users began reporting that certain videos, especially those critical of specific political figures or policies were being suppressed or removed. High-profile voices even accused the platform of favoring some viewpoints while burying others. By the time the dust settled, many users felt TikTok was no longer the free, open stage it once was.
Direct technical problems added fuel to the fire. Throughout late January, TikTok experienced outages and glitches that left users unable to post, browse, or see fresh content in their feeds. Some creators complained that their videos weren’t being recommended anymore, even to followers who had previously engaged with them.
When an app’s algorithm feels invisible and unpredictable and when content suddenly disappears or stalls without explanation, people begin to lose trust. For many creators and casual users alike, TikTok’s recommendation engine went from being a magical discovery machine to a frustrating black box that seemed to choose what it wanted you to see.
Into this moment of discontent stepped UpScrolled, a social networking app launched in June 2025 by a small team led by Issam Hijazi, a Palestinian-Australian technologist. UpScrolled isn’t just another TikTok clone; it positions itself as a transparent, fairer alternative to the big platforms, promising no algorithmic shadowbans, no secret throttling of content, and no agenda that decides what you should see.
Unlike TikTok’s opaque recommendation systems, UpScrolled offers:
- A chronological “following” feed with no algorithmic manipulation
- A discover feed ranked by engagement metrics and freshness, but with transparency and randomness built in
- Support for text, images, and short video content
- A policy of “no hidden throttling” and minimal data harvesting
These features sound simple, but for many people they represent a return to social media that feels human not machine-optimized.
The result? A sudden surge of downloads. UpScrolled climbed into the Top 10 charts on app stores, even outranking TikTok on the Apple App Store for free apps, a huge achievement for a newcomer. So many people joined that, at one point, UpScrolled’s servers briefly buckled under the load.
Here are some reasons for the switch.
Desire for control & transparency
Many users say they want a platform where they feel in control of their content and audience, not at the mercy of mysterious algorithms. UpScrolled’s chronological feed model gives users exactly that.
Perceived censorship & moderation bias
Some users felt TikTok’s moderation decisions were political or inconsistent, especially after the ownership change. UpScrolled’s promise to give “every voice an equal chance” appealed to people frustrated with perceived bias.
A fresh experience
After years of algorithmic feeds designed to keep people scrolling, some users simply want a less addictive and more meaningful social experience. UpScrolled’s design ethos, emphasizing community and control resonates with that craving.
It’s too early to say that TikTok is dying. A massive platform with hundreds of millions of users won’t collapse overnight. But the recent exodus reveals a deeper cultural shift: consumers are no longer satisfied with opaque algorithms and unpredictable moderation. They want platforms that feel fair, transparent, and respectful of their voices.
Whether UpScrolled becomes the new home for short-form creativity or simply a stepping stone in a larger migration remains to be seen. But for now, millions of users are voting with their downloads and making it clear that the old model of TikTok isn’t working for everyone anymore.
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