Young American Gen Z creators are mounting a subtle rebellion against TikTok’s new U.S. ownership, expressing their dissent through individual downloads of an emerging alternative application developed by a previous staff member.
In January, TikTok’s American operations were officially separated from its international business and transferred to a newly formed joint venture where Oracle possesses a significant ownership interest. The enterprise software corporation now oversees U.S. user data and manages a domestically operated version of TikTok’s recommendation algorithm. This transition concluded years of political scrutiny and was presented by supporters as a win for national security, though many young users perceived it differently: their favorite platform transforming into a tool of corporate and political influence.
On TikTok, content creators have been sharing angry explanatory videos about the ownership change, claiming that pro-Palestinian content will be censored in the future and cautioning their audiences against providing their data to Oracle. This outrage has generated ideal conditions for a competing platform whose founding narrative directly connects to Oracle, while vowing to reject everything Gen Z links to the tech giant. Simultaneously, as , TikTok’s algorithm appeared to malfunction right after the transfer, causing its predominantly Gen Z user base to desperately look for a substitute for the compelling content stream.
In late January, during the transition of TikTok’s U.S. ownership, the platform experienced a broadly debated algorithm breakdown that overwhelmed For You Pages with content users mockingly called “slop.” This malfunction occurred just as Gen Z was already scrutinizing how recommendation engines warp reality, deliver inappropriate life-stage material, and convert every feed into an endless scroll of mass-appeal viral content. The on Reddit included a highly upvoted post that merely stated, “.”
When TikTok’s System Failed Publicly
UpScrolled debuted quietly in 2025, but its surge in popularity occurred in January, precisely when TikTok’s U.S. offshoot launched and user dissatisfaction with the algorithm peaked. Hijazi informed TechCrunch that the platform’s user base exploded from approximately 150,000 to over 1 million within days, and has since surpassed 2.5 million users, primarily propelled by individuals looking to flee TikTok’s “broken” feed.
From Oracle Infrastructure to an Oracle Graduate’s Alternative
The irony fueling this rebellion is striking: TikTok’s U.S. operations now operate on Oracle’s infrastructure and supervision, while the application many users are installing in protest was created by a former Oracle engineer. Posts on and TikTok directly highlight this, depicting Hijazi as a type of insider-turned-dissident who previously worked on major tech systems and is now attempting to circumvent their deficiencies after observing how algorithms distort reality and silence particular voices.
For Gen Z, this origin story is significant because it connects their skepticism toward TikTok’s new guardians—Oracle, American investors, and the political establishment—into a personal story: an individual familiar with the inner workings of the existing system contends that it’s fundamentally flawed and proposes an alternative framework.
Anti-Censorship in a “Broken Algorithm” Era
One of the primary beneficiaries to date is UpScrolled, a social networking service that combines features of and X while pledging a more unrestricted approach to expression and distribution. At the Web Summit Qatar, the founder stated that UpScrolled had “surged” from about 150,000 users in early January to over 1 million within days, and as of this week, has now exceeded .
UpScrolled rose to prominence exactly when TikTok’s U.S. ownership agreement was finalized, with numerous users clearly positioning their registrations as a demonstration against what they perceive as a commercialized, tamed iteration of TikTok. Within creator group conversations and Discord servers, home screen captures display TikTok relegated to a secondary folder while UpScrolled occupies the main dock position.
UpScrolled guarantees no shadow-banning and a more open moderation policy, featuring community guidelines that prohibit violence and hatred but eschew the unclear, life-path-restricting customization that many Gen Z users currently attribute to their “brain rot.” The platform isn’t entirely analog—it remains a social application—but it aligns with a wider youth movement to regain control of their focus, whether via “dumb phones,” printed publications, or more deliberate, less game-like digital environments.
From Oracle Infrastructure to an Oracle Graduate’s Alternative
The irony driving this rebellion is acute: TikTok’s U.S. operations now function on Oracle’s infrastructure and monitoring, while a former Oracle engineer developed the application that many users are installing as a form of protest. Posts on X and TikTok directly point this out, characterizing Hijazi as an insider-turned-dissident who previously contributed to major technology systems and is now attempting to work around their shortcomings after witnessing algorithms distort truth and suppress specific voices.
For Gen Z, this background is important because it weaves their mistrust of TikTok’s new overseers—Oracle, American investors, and the political elite—into a personal story: a person who understands the core mechanics of the old system maintains that it’s structurally defective and presents an alternative approach.
Oracle and UpScrolled did not promptly reply to inquiries for comment.
For this story, journalists used generative AI as a research tool. An editor verified the accuracy of the information before publishing.