UpScrolled, a social network founded by Issam Hijazi, is facing a significant operational challenge as it struggles to moderate a surge of hate speech following its explosive user growth. The platform, which has rapidly amassed over 4 million downloads, is now under scrutiny for its inability to effectively enforce its own policies against harmful content.
The Challenge of Hyper-Growth
After a period of accelerated growth that saw its user base swell to more than 2.5 million active users in January alone, UpScrolled’s content moderation systems have been overwhelmed. The rapid influx of users has outpaced the startup’s capacity to police its platform, leading to widespread reports of inappropriate and hateful content gaining a foothold. This issue highlights a classic growing pain for social platforms, where the infrastructure for safety and moderation often lags behind viral user acquisition.
Widespread Harmful Content
Investigations by both users and media outlets have confirmed the presence of significant amounts of harmful content on the app. This includes usernames and hashtags containing racial slurs, antisemitic text and imagery, and content glorifying figures like Hitler. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) also published a report noting that the platform was becoming a host for extremist content and designated foreign terrorist organizations. Despite reports to the company, many of the offending accounts and posts remained active for days, signaling a severe bottleneck in its moderation pipeline.
Founder Addresses Moderation Shortfalls
In a video addressing the growing concerns, founder Issam Hijazi acknowledged that users have been uploading “harmful content” that violates UpScrolled’s terms of service and core beliefs. He reaffirmed the company’s commitment to providing a platform for free expression within a safe and respectful digital environment.
“We are offering everyone the freedom to express and share their opinions in a healthy and respectful digital environment,” Hijazi stated.
To tackle the problem, Hijazi announced that the company is taking immediate action. “We are rapidly expanding our content moderation team, and we are upgrading our technology infrastructure so we can catch and remove harmful content more effectively,” he explained.
About UpScrolled
Founded in 2025 by Issam Hijazi, UpScrolled is a social media platform built on the principle of offering every voice “equal power.” While the company’s policies prohibit illegal activity, hate speech, and harassment, its recent rapid scaling has presented a formidable challenge to enforcing these rules. The application has seen over 4 million downloads across iOS and Android since its launch.
Source: TechCrunch
