Quite true... I suppose that's also the problem of the networks that are focused at privacy/control nerds first, and trying to get more mainstream users second.

The suggested follow is the types of features we are afraid of... The developers came to these places because they don't want to be told what to do... IE literally that's the exact problem with twitter right now, is Musk is personally shoving his right wing crap in our faces whether we want to look at it or not. But what regular people want... is to have crap shoved in their faces that they like and agree with.

Which I suppose development of mastadon and the like just hadn't reached the point, we go at minimum viable, and get what you specifically are looking for... with a lack of excitement for trying to use algorythms to tell people what they like.