DayofPal—A growing number of TikTok users are abandoning the platform in favor of UpScrolled, a new social media network developed by Palestinian-Australian entrepreneur.
Issam Hijazi built the platform and was supported by the Tech for Palestine incubator after the Palestinian content face shadow banning and silence.
Turning to the Palestinian platform follows TikTok’s recent acquisition by American billionaire Larry Ellison, co-founder of Oracle Corporation.
Ellison, a prominent pro-Israel figure, has previously faced backlash over his involvement in projects linked to Israel.
In 2019, he was among pro-Israel figures accused in a lawsuit of supporting genocidal war crimes and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians.
Over the years, he has funded multiple Israeli initiatives, including a $10 million donation to the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (2014), a $500,000 pledge to strengthen a community center in Sderot (2007), and archaeological excavations in Eastern parts of Jerusalem (2019).
UpScrolled positions itself as a transparent, user-first platform, promising no shadowbanning, no vague censorship, and no algorithmic punishment for speaking the truth, especially about the Palestinian content.
It blends the best features of Instagram and Twitter, allowing users to share photos, videos, stories, and text updates while providing robust content discovery and safety tools such as blocking and flagging.
“UpScrolled is about giving people a space to share real content without fear of suppression,” Hijazi said. “It’s built on principles of openness, honesty, and respect for freedom of expression.”
As concerns over TikTok’s ownership grow, UpScrolled is rapidly gaining traction among users seeking a social media experience free from perceived political influence and algorithmic control.
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