Google Play has delisted UpScrolled, the “censorship-resistant” social media app founded by Issam Hijazi, following its rapid growth to over 2.5 million users and its brief stint as a top-ranked alternative to TikTok.
While the app remains available for existing users, Google has not provided a specific reason for the removal; UpScrolled’s team confirmed they are working with the Play Store for reinstatement while maintaining their commitment to unfiltered content.
This development follows the app’s rapid ascent in popularity, particularly amid concerns over content moderation on competing platforms like TikTok.
No website is certainly a choice
IIRC the app is Australian but founder is Palestinian-Australian
Reminder that Google is on it’s third attempt to prevent or limit the installation of APKs outside of the Play Store, meaning they are near the point they can effectively control what apps people run.
When this happens I’m flashing graphene os onto my pixel 9
Do it now, use obtainium, droidfy and aurora. Nearly every app works except google wallet.
My only problem stopping me is I use my phone for work too. Microsoft auth, outlook. Mostly just auth. I was looking it up a bit ago and people said it breaks it for work accounts
I currently use MS Auth on my Graphene OS phone. Have installed Play Services on that profile, though
Not a good idea to mix personal and work devices. I’d recommend getting a cheap budget phone to use for work.
No politic here!
And this is why, we sold have https://joinloops.org/ instead
That’s a different type of platform though. Upscrolled = insta, Loops = tiktok.
So, join Pixelfed?
I don’t see why not, if you want, why not both
Not just an alternative to TikTok, but also need one for Google Play, and Android too while we’re at it. (Yes, I know they exist. Just making a point)
brb buying an iPhone
‘no wait not like that’
De-listed where? It’s listed still for me.
It’s back. It was gone for just a few hours it seems
The more I work for tech companies the more I genuinely end up believing that stuff like this being removed is in fact just incompetence at least 50% of the time
A lot of companies seem to automatically delist things that get mass reported, which makes them subject to interference by armies of paid or unpaid trolls. Hopefully the issue gets corrected but this seems to happen more and more frequently.
The devs confirmed it was delisted. Not sure what its current status is. Seeing mixed messages online so it might be regional delisting or it might have been restored.
