Mastodon, the decentralized social networking platform celebrated for its community-driven structure, is unveiling a new feature known as “Packs.” This addition is specifically designed to streamline the process of discovering and following accounts, allowing both newcomers and seasoned users to populate their feeds with engaging content more efficiently. Announced during the recent FediForum event on Tuesday, the introduction of Packs marks a significant step in Mastodon’s ongoing effort to enhance the user experience within the broader Fediverse — the network of interconnected, independently managed servers that together form a decentralized alternative to traditional social media.
Much like the “Starter Packs” previously introduced by the competing platform Bluesky, Mastodon’s Packs will present curated collections of recommended accounts, conveniently organized into thematic categories. These might include verified individuals, content creators, podcasters, journalists, or other specialized groups that align with users’ personal interests. The concept is to provide a guided approach to account discovery, giving people a straightforward way to immerse themselves in the conversations and communities that matter most to them, without having to navigate the vast landscape of decentralized servers on their own.
However, Mastodon is implementing this feature with a particular emphasis on user autonomy and privacy. Participants will have the ability to opt out of inclusion in any Pack, ensuring that their accounts cannot be added to curated lists without explicit consent. In addition, users will automatically receive a notification whenever their profile is added to a Pack, maintaining transparency about how their presence is being represented within the community. Crucially, unlike Bluesky’s model, Mastodon grants individuals the option to remove themselves from a Pack at any time — and they can do so easily, without the need to block or report the user who created the list. This subtle yet important distinction reinforces Mastodon’s ethos of giving people granular control over their digital identities.
The team is also extending this initiative beyond Mastodon itself, working toward making the Packs feature accessible to developers building on other ActivityPub-compatible applications. This ambition underscores Mastodon’s commitment to interoperability across the decentralized web, where a common protocol allows for seamless interaction among independent platforms. By doing so, Mastodon is not merely improving its own onboarding process but potentially setting a new standard for how discovery and connection can work across an open social ecosystem.
The release of Packs fits within Mastodon’s broader campaign to reduce the friction new users often encounter when first joining the network. Historically, creating an account on Mastodon involved choosing from thousands of independent servers, a process that could overwhelm users unfamiliar with the decentralized model. To mitigate this challenge, Mastodon has already taken steps—such as directing signups through the central mastodon.social instance—to simplify initial engagement. The forthcoming Packs feature continues this trend, offering a more intuitive entry point for those interested in exploring the Fediverse without feeling lost at the outset.
Interestingly, Mastodon is not alone in pursuing such user-focused innovations. Meta’s Threads platform has recently adopted a similar concept inspired by Bluesky’s Starter Packs, demonstrating a growing recognition across the social networking landscape that curation and guided discovery can play a vital role in user retention and satisfaction. Yet, Mastodon’s approach remains distinct due to its foundation in decentralization and its prioritization of informed consent and transparency.
While the company’s team is enthusiastic about the prospect, they acknowledge that implementing this tailored version of Starter Packs is a complex undertaking. The first iteration is slated to debut as part of the onboarding process in Mastodon version 4.6, which follows the platform’s current release, 4.4. As Mastodon product designer Imani Joy explains, the initiative stems from the belief that user-generated, carefully curated collections could help people “find their tribe” more rapidly after joining the Fediverse. At the same time, she notes that envisioning a feature of this scope—one capable of functioning seamlessly across an array of independently managed servers while maintaining respect for user consent—is an ambitious and technically challenging goal.
In essence, Mastodon’s Packs embody the platform’s dual commitment to usability and freedom. They promise to make community discovery more approachable without compromising the foundational values that distinguish decentralized networks from corporate social media: privacy, consent, and autonomy. If successful, this innovation could not only welcome new members into the Fediverse but also set a blueprint for how decentralized communities might continue to evolve—balancing openness and accessibility with individual empowerment.
Sourse: https://www.theverge.com/news/794988/mastodon-bluesky-starter-packs-fediverse
