UpScrolled hits 2.5M users, vows 'no shadowbanning'

UpScrolled, the social network that gained attention following TikTok’s U.S. ownership change in January, has quickly surpassed 2.5 million users. Company founder Issam Hijazi announced this milestone at Web Summit Qatar.

“We launched about six months ago, and we grew to about 150,000 up until early January. And as of the last few days, we reached over one million users globally. Now, starting today, we surpassed two-and-a-half million users globally,” Hijazi said.

UpScrolled, a platform described as a fusion of Instagram and X (formerly Twitter), promotes itself as a space that embraces all voices. The company emphasizes its policy of allowing diverse content without engaging in shadowbanning or selective censorship.

In his address, Hijazi criticized major tech corporations, accusing them of unethical practices such as profiting from the sale of user data. He also specifically charged social media networks with suppressing pro-Palestinian content and implementing biased censorship against certain users.

“They don’t care about selling your data to someone else if that means profit for them. And they don’t care about your mental health, as in they will design something just to keep you addicted to using that platform as long as it’s profitable for them,” he stated.

Users on other platforms have expressed concerns about UpScrolled hosting a significant amount of pornography and nudity. Hijazi noted that while the company will not use amplification algorithms to promote or suppress specific viewpoints, it will implement community guidelines to comply with legal requirements in various regions. He added that the company is assembling a team of experts to finalize its community guidelines and is considering user feedback in the process.

Although the company has not publicly announced any funding, Hijazi stated that the social network is attracting interest from investors.

While these social networks may have experienced a temporary increase in users following organizational changes at TikTok, they need to develop features and cultivate a community to retain those users. Additionally, they must establish moderation policies and make content decisions that may not align with the preferences of their user base, as Bluesky has learned over the past few years.