Mastodon Introduces “Packs” — a Bluesky‑style Follow List for Newcomers
Mastodon is testing a new feature called “Packs” — curated collections of accounts new users can follow to jumpstart their timeline. Inspired by Bluesky’s Starter Packs, Mastodon’s approach emphasizes user control and Fediverse compatibility.
Key points
- What Packs are: Curated lists of accounts you can follow in one go to help new users find interesting people faster.
- User control: Mastodon gGmbH says users can opt in or out of appearing in Packs by toggling the existing “Feature profile and posts in discovery algorithms” setting.
- Neutral removal: Unlike Bluesky (where removal required blocking or reporting), Mastodon will let users remove themselves from a Pack in a neutral way after they’re notified.
- Fediverse standard: Mastodon is collaborating on a Fediverse Enhancement Proposal (FEP) so other ActivityPub apps can adopt Packs too.
Why it matters
Discoverability is a common challenge on decentralized platforms. Packs aim to make onboarding easier while preserving user choice and cross‑app interoperability.
Sources & further reading
What do you think — will Packs help new users find their people, or could they cause new forms of gatekeeping? Share your thoughts in the comments.