You can now download UpScrolled. The new place to speak up, share your work, share your life and actually be seen. If you’ve been waiting for a real alternative to Instagram, this is it.

Why we needed UpScrolled

Let’s be honest. A lot of us are still on Instagram because we don’t have a real alternative. Activists stay because their cause needs visibility. Creators stay because it’s how they make a living. Artists, musicians, educators, everyday users, and small businesses need it to stay connected and keep going.

At the same time, Meta keeps silencing those very voices. From Palestine activism to BLM, LGBTQIA+ rights to India’s farmer protests, shadowbanning has become the norm. Posts disappear, reach drops, accounts get flagged. This isn’t a theory. It’s been documented by researchers, journalists, and thousands of users. 

People are ready to leave. Until now, there just wasn’t anywhere to go.

UpScrolled changes that

Built by Palestinian-Australian developer Issam Hijazi and supported by the Tech for Palestine incubator, UpScrolled is everything Instagram refused to become. It is fully functional, thoroughly tested, and ready to scale.

It combines the best of Instagram and Twitter:

• Photo and video posts
• Stories
• Text updates (for those who’ve had enough of the X circus)
• Real content discovery
• Blocking, flagging, and safety features
• No shadowbanning
• No vague censorship
• No algorithmic punishment for speaking the truth

After early testing with a few hundred users, the app is now live and already being used by thousands of creators, organizers, and everyday users around the world.

Why now is the best time to join

This is your window. Right now, the platform is still new. That means:

• You can claim your handle (@yourname) before someone else does.
• You can build a following fast, while the network is growing.
• Your content has maximum reach. You’re early and that means your posts travel farther, faster.

People are signing up by the thousands. If you’ve ever wanted a fresh start, this is it.

Finally, a platform you can use without guilt

Whether you’re an artist, a small business, or just someone who uses social media to stay connected, you’ve probably felt torn. Instagram helps you reach people, but it doesn’t align with your values.

With UpScrolled, you don’t have to choose between visibility and integrity. You can grow your audience, promote your work, or simply be online without feeling complicit in a system that silences the very voices that need to be heard.

A real chance to shift the power

Meta will not change. But we can. We finally have a chance to build a platform that doesn't punish people for caring, protesting, creating, or speaking out. A space where voices of activists are not flagged, where solidarity is not shadowbanned, and where your voice is not filtered by billion-dollar interests. It’s not just about Palestine. It’s about every movement that has been pushed to the margins.

Install the app. Try it. Spread the word.

Find UpScrolled on Google Play and the App Store. Claim your handle, post something real, and share it with your people.

If you represent an organization and want to endorse this movement publicly, we are welcoming official endorsements. Get in touch with us via afzal@techforpalestine.org.

Let’s build a better platform, together.