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Mastodon is taking cues from Bluesky with plans for its own starter ‘Packs’
Mastodon plans to introduce 'Packs', a feature for newcomers to discover curated user collections, similar to Bluesky's Starter Packs. This aims to alleviate the 'cold start' problem of new social networks. Users can control their inclusion in Packs, and the feature focuses on user notification and opt-out mechanisms. The initial version is set for the Mastodon 4.6 release, developed in collaboration with the fediverse community.
Key points
- Mastodon has over 8 million accounts and nearly 700,000 monthly active users.
- New feature 'Packs' is inspired by Bluesky's Starter Packs, designed for new users.
- Packs aim to solve the 'cold start' problem of not knowing who to follow.
- Users can choose whether to be included in Packs, enhancing user control.
- Unlike Bluesky, Mastodon will notify users when added to a Pack and allow easier removal.
- Collaboration with fediverse developers is ongoing for the feature's implementation.
- Initial version expected in the upcoming Mastodon 4.6 release.
Why it matters
- The trend of enhancing user onboarding in social networks reflects broader IT trends towards personalized user experiences.
- Mastodon’s initiative follows similar updates from Meta's Instagram Threads, indicating competing social platforms are focusing on user engagement.
- Social networks are increasingly adopting decentralized features, aligning with user demand for control over content visibility.
Mastodon's upcoming Packs feature highlights a growing focus on user discoverability and control in social networks, reflecting broader trends in IT towards enhanced personalization and user experience in digital spaces.