Mastodon Copies Bluesky’s Best Feature. But There’s a Twist

Mastodon just announced its own version of Starter Packs. If you’ve used Bluesky, you know these things are brilliant for finding people to follow.

But Mastodon isn’t just copying. They’re fixing some problems that bugged users on other platforms.

What Are Packs Anyway

Starter Packs let someone curate a list of accounts around a topic or community. New users can follow everyone in the pack with one click. Simple concept. Massive impact on the onboarding experience.

Bluesky launched this feature first. It became one of their standout additions to social networking. So popular that Meta cloned it for Threads late last year.

Now Mastodon wants in. Makes sense given how hard it can be to find people on decentralized networks.

The Privacy Problem Mastodon Fixed

Here’s where things get interesting. Bluesky’s implementation has a weird quirk. If someone adds you to their Starter Pack without asking, your only options are nuclear.

You can report the pack. Or block its creator entirely. That’s it.

Mastodon saw this problem and built something better. Their Packs include actual consent features.

First, there’s an existing setting called “Feature profile and posts in discovery algorithms.” Toggle that off and you won’t appear in any Packs. Done.

Second, when someone adds you to a Pack, you get notified. Then you can remove yourself without blocking anyone. Similar to how Mastodon already handles Quote Posts.

This approach feels more respectful. Plus, it gives users control without forcing them into confrontation.

Building for the Whole Fediverse

Mastodon isn’t keeping this feature to themselves. They’re working with other developers on something called a Fediverse Enhancement Proposal.

Once completed, any app built on ActivityPub can use Packs. That means the feature could work across Mastodon, Pixelfed, PeerTube, and other federated platforms.

This matters because it shows how decentralized networks can coordinate on features. Rather than each platform building isolated versions, they’re creating a shared standard.

Compare that to corporate social networks. When Meta cloned Starter Packs for Threads, they didn’t make it compatible with anything else. Because why would they?

Why Starter Packs Work So Well

The discovery problem hits hardest on decentralized networks. You can’t just show everyone a simple “Trending” feed. Different servers have different content and different rules.

Starter Packs solve this elegantly. They’re human-curated. Community-driven. Topic-focused. Someone you trust says “here are good accounts about tech” or “follow these climate scientists.”

That personal recommendation carries more weight than any algorithm. Plus, it works across server boundaries. A pack created on one Mastodon instance can include accounts from dozens of other servers.

For new users especially, this removes friction. Instead of searching blindly or relying on algorithmic suggestions, you get a curated entry point into communities.

The Competitive Landscape

Bluesky’s growth exploded partly because of features like this. They made their platform genuinely easier to use than alternatives.

Mastodon has always prioritized privacy and user control. But those principles sometimes made the platform harder to navigate. This feature keeps the privacy focus while improving usability.

Meanwhile, Threads has the advantage of Instagram integration. But their Starter Pack clone launched without the consent features Mastodon is building.

So we’re seeing different approaches to the same problem. Corporate speed versus community thoughtfulness. Time will tell which strategy attracts more users.

What This Means for Users

If you’re already on Mastodon, check your discovery settings. Make sure you’re comfortable with how your profile appears in recommendations.

If you’re new to Mastodon, Packs should make joining significantly easier. Look for curated lists around your interests when the feature launches.

And if you’re on Bluesky or Threads, this shows how competition between platforms can drive better features. Mastodon taking the best parts of Starter Packs while fixing the consent issues benefits everyone.

The federated web keeps getting more usable. That’s exactly what it needs to compete with centralized alternatives.