TikTok is facing a wave of uninstalls and technical issues as its newly formed US entity struggles. Sensor Tower reports a 150% increase in uninstalls over the past three months, while daily active users remain stagnant. TikTok has attributed these problems to a power outage at a data center, but users are frustrated by the lack of a clear resolution or explanation for the drastic changes in view counts and recommendation algorithms.

Amidst TikTok's turmoil, an indie app called UpScrolled is seeing a surge in interest. Launched last June, UpScrolled has become the ninth most-downloaded app in the US App Store and second most popular social app, following Meta's Threads. The app's sudden rise is closely tied to the recent issues at TikTok, with UpScrolled experiencing 41,000 downloads over a recent weekend, a dramatic increase from its previous average of less than 500 downloads per day.

UpScrolled, developed by an Australian creator, offers a platform similar to Instagram, focusing on photos and short-form videos. It defaults to a chronological feed and is privately funded, currently without ads. The app's success echoes a previous trend where RedNote, a Chinese app, briefly gained popularity during TikTok's potential ban in 2025. This shift suggests an opportunity for new players in the short-form video market, capitalizing on user dissatisfaction with corporate-controlled platforms like TikTok.

As TikTok continues to face challenges, UpScrolled is positioning itself as an alternative, emphasizing authenticity and equitable content distribution. The app's rise indicates a potential shift in user preferences, favoring small, independent platforms over established giants, especially when the latter face operational issues and user trust is eroded.