Mastodon snags Bluesky’s starter packs feature and includes the ability to opt out — a move that brings more customization and control to the decentralized social network. The new “Packs” feature helps users discover and follow accounts more easily, filling up their feeds with relevant content right from the start.

What Are Mastodon Packs?

Unveiled during the FediForum event, Mastodon’s new “Packs” work much like Bluesky’s Starter Packs. These curated lists group accounts based on themes or interests — such as verified users, podcasters, and journalists — allowing new users to explore communities quickly.

For those just joining Mastodon, this update removes the friction of manually searching for people to follow. It’s a thoughtful addition aimed at improving the onboarding experience, especially for users migrating from other social platforms.

Opting Out Of Packs: More Privacy And Control

One major difference is that Mastodon includes the ability to opt out of Packs altogether. Users can prevent their profiles from being added to any Pack, giving them greater control over how their accounts appear across the network.

Additionally, you’ll get a notification whenever someone adds you to a Pack. Unlike Bluesky’s Starter Packs, Mastodon lets you remove yourself without needing to block or report the curator — a subtle but meaningful improvement for privacy-conscious users.

Why It Matters

This move reflects Mastodon’s ongoing commitment to user autonomy and decentralized ethics. While Bluesky popularized the idea of Starter Packs, Mastodon’s implementation focuses on transparency and consent. It shows how open-source networks can innovate while respecting user choice.

Developer Support Coming Soon

Mastodon isn’t stopping there. The platform plans to make Packs available to developers of other ActivityPub-based applications, potentially expanding the ecosystem across federated platforms. This could foster more interoperability between social apps, aligning with Mastodon’s vision of a more connected, user-driven web.