At BuildPalestine, we believe liberation is a process, not an event. It unfolds in small wins, strategic breakthroughs, and the creation of alternatives to entrenched power. Social innovation—whether on the ground or online—is part of that ongoing process.
Digital Suppression and the Genocide in Gaza
During the genocide in Gaza, social media became a lifeline—for Palestinians on the ground and for the world watching. Videos, images, and firsthand accounts documented war crimes, humanitarian collapse, and daily life under siege. Yet mainstream platforms actively suppressed these voices: posts disappeared, accounts were shadowbanned, reach dropped, and narratives of resistance were deprioritized. Big tech’s bias became a tool of occupation.
Issam Hijazi, a Palestinian technologist with experience at IBM and Oracle, recognized the problem clearly: it wasn’t just what was being shared—it was the systems deciding whose stories mattered and whose could be hidden.
Building an Alternative: Why UpScrolled Exists?
Instead of adapting to platforms that actively silence Palestinian voices, Issam built UpScrolled. Launched in June 2025 with support from the Tech for Palestine incubator, it is a Palestinian-built social media platform designed around a simple principle: if people choose to follow your work, they should actually see it.
Unlike dominant platforms:
- Feeds are chronological, not algorithmically throttled.
- There are no paid promotion incentives; creators reach their communities without paying.
- No shadowbanning; content isn’t silently deprioritized.
Palestinian Innovation That Scales Globally
Since its launch in June 2025, UpScroll has seen significant global uptake. The platform has been downloaded over 700,000 times worldwide and reached No. 1 in Apple’s App Store “Social Networking” category, according to Business Insider —proof that Palestinian innovation can scale globally while challenging entrenched tech power.
The result is a digital space where creators, storytellers, journalists, and organizations can share their work confidently and visibly, free from hidden algorithms and systemic bias. It’s a space that models what liberation looks like in the digital sphere—essential wins in a broader struggle.
Storytelling as Part of Liberation
Supporting Palestinian innovation means supporting not only projects on the ground but also the systems that carry those stories forward. Platforms like UpScrolled show that Palestinians don’t just survive oppression—they build dignified alternatives that reflect their realities and aspirations.
Liberation is a process, and storytelling is part of it.
Join us on UpScrolled and enjoy an uncensored view into Palestinian social innovation.
