UpScrolled Gains Popularity As Users Seek Alternative Platform Amid TikTok Outage

TikTok users faced a major disruption on Sunday, January 25, leaving many unable to access the app properly. This has prompted a surge in searches for alternative social media platforms, with one app, UpScrolled, gaining particular attention.
On January 25th, TikTok users reported significant issues with the app. Many were unable to sign in, the app was slow, videos were difficult to repost, the same content was repeatedly displayed in their feeds, and recommendations were less curated, reported the Newsweek.

According to Downdetector, the outage peaked just before 4 am on Sunday, with over 36,000 reports. Even after the peak, many users continued to experience problems, leading to increased interest in alternative apps.

Over the past few years, TikTok has faced challenges in the US due to national security concerns surrounding its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. To comply with new regulations, TikTok's US operations were restructured in December 2025, with Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX jointly acquiring a 50 percent stake, while ByteDance retained a 19.9 percent stake.

UpScrolled Gains Attention

During the TikTok outage, the UpScrolled app emerged as a popular alternative. Launched in 2025, the platform attracted attention by promising open and unrestricted social networking. Users on X described it as a social networking app with "no censorship, no billionaires."

One X user wrote, "UpScrolled was founded by a Palestinian and promises no censorship and no billionaires," while another said, "Everyone I know is switching to UpScrolled."

UpScrolled's official website stated, "Time to scroll differently. Shadowbanned elsewhere? Not here. UpScrolled is the social platform where every voice has equal power. No shadowbans. No algorithmic games. No pay-to-play favoritism."

As TikTok users look for new platforms, UpScrolled is gaining traction not just for its technical issues but also for its unique positioning and interest among early users.