There was a recent development in the ongoing TikTok saga that began in 2024 and intensified when President Joe Biden signed the Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA).
The United States was on the brink of banning TikTok, leading ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, to separate its US operations. This move came after President Trump and the Justice Department intervened to prevent a ban. ByteDance completed the transfer of 80.1% of its US business unit to TikTok USDS Joint Venture, LLC, a collective of companies, investment firms, and individuals.
Despite ByteDance relinquishing control of TikTok in the US, issues have persisted. Users faced difficulties uploading videos related to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the ICE shootings in Minneapolis. Some posts were labeled as “Ineligible for Recommendation” or “temporarily suspended.” TikTok attributed these problems to a data center outage.
Many users found the timing of these issues suspicious and opted to switch to an alternative platform called UpScrolled following the US deal announcement. UpScrolled experienced a surge in popularity, becoming the fourth most popular free app on Apple’s list.
Introducing UpScrolled
Launched in June 2025, UpScrolled is a new social media platform resembling Instagram and TikTok. It emphasizes sharing text, photos, and short videos, operating from Australia with infrastructure in Dublin, Ireland.
Founder Issam Hijazi created UpScrolled to combat biased algorithms and content suppression. The platform ensures every post receives fair visibility and offers a chronological feed. It integrates with other social networks for content sharing and rejects shadowbanning practices.
UpScrolled enforces community guidelines transparently and does not engage in censorship. It prioritizes user privacy by not sharing data with third parties for marketing. The platform’s ethos revolves around providing a space for authentic and unrestricted expression.
UpScrolled’s mission is to offer a platform free from algorithm manipulation and content suppression, resonating with users disillusioned with mainstream social media. Give UpScrolled a try if you seek a platform that prioritizes openness and fairness.