Mastodon: Our ideas about Packs

[nemeski@mander.xyz]

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[blisterexe@lemmy.zip]

Seems like a good idea, although a simple, configurable algorithm would also be nice.

You select one or several topics, and it shows you popular posts in that category.

[cabbage@piefed.social]

I guess in a way that's what it offers, just that instead of an algorithm it's human curated. Mastodon is a lot about boosts, so following someone doesn't mean just following them, but also being subjected to whatever they boost (unless you silence their boosts of course). So if you're interested in pottery and you follow a pottery starter pack, chances are that feed will end up a curated channel of pottery content.

The great thing is that it has quality control and cannot be abused the same way algorithmic feeds always end up being. The funky thing is, of course, that you also end up being exposed to everything else those people are interested in. But I think that's part of what makes Mastodon feels so nice.

[raginghungrypanda@piefed.keyboardvagabond.com]

i would use it - I suck at finding stuff on mastodon

[warmaster@lemmy.world]

Congratulations, you've been included in the "Assholes" pack.

If you wish to be removed from the pack, you must write a letter explaining why we should remove you and mail it to the address listed below with an attached blood sample in a crystal vial packaged in a refrigerated container with proper padding fit for shipping.

Mastodon Inc,
228 East 45th Street Suite 9E
New York, New York 10017

::: spoiler Spoiler
Disclaimer: this is a joke not intended to convey anything.
:::

[blisterexe@lemmy.zip]

I see what you mean, but it's never worked as well for me as a simple, well designed algorithm or even bsluesky feeds, or, incidentally, lemmy communities.

[avidamoeba@lemmy.ca]

Bluesky pioneered a brilliant solution to this “empty feed problem” in 2024, with the introduction of “Starter Packs”, a feature that allows users to curate and share their own collections of recommended accounts.

Bluesky pioneered, eh? I distinctly remember using a feature called "circles" on Google+ back in 2011. It allowed people to create arbitrary "circles" of people, share them and have others bulk-follow/unfollow the people from a circle. It worked incredibly well and Google+ became a lively social network even with its small userbase at the time.

[vermaterc@lemmy.ml]

I wish there was something like this for tags. So: display only posts that contain tag X, but sort them with some algorithm. Ideally: steered by number of likes and date of adding. May be even the same that is used by Lemmy.

[blisterexe@lemmy.zip]

That's what I want, it could be implemented like bluesky feeds, where you choose the tags and words you want included, and then choose what kind of ordering you want!

[infeeeee@lemmy.zip]

Following Trendy Toots bot made my mastodon experience much better: https://mastodon.social/@trendytoots

It just retoots popular posts, similar to hot thread but chronological.

[drmoose@lemmy.world]

I really don't understand the point of packs when Mastodon has hashtag follows. Mastodon is already winning in terms of discovery here and in fact I still don't use Bluesky because its impossible to discover content there.

On Bluesky you get a pack of people but in linear timelines the power spammers just take over and then you have to do all that personal curation anyway but it's often even a worse starting point than just blank slate. With hashtag following I just subscribe to #fediverse and discover new content and creators organically.

Instead I'd like to see Mastodon commit more to organic discovery rather than consolidation of power users by expanding post classification system like using AI classification that attaches topic hashtags to posts etc to help users discover content they actually want to see not follow personalities.

[julian@activitypub.space]

FYI all the Mastodon team is looking for feedback on featured collections (aka "starter packs") so they may check in on this post 🙂