Mastodon, the decentralized social networking platform, is preparing to roll out a new feature called “Collections” in the coming weeks. Announced on Thursday, Collections allow users to find, create, and share lists of accounts worth following — a direct nod to Bluesky’s popular “Starter Packs.” Each Collection can include up to 25 accounts, along with a short description and an optional topic tag. The feature is initially launching on the mastodon.social server and will become widely available with the release of Mastodon 4.6.

How Collections Work

Collections aim to streamline the onboarding process and help users discover relevant content. Users on participating servers will be able to create a Collection by selecting up to 25 accounts, providing a brief description, and assigning a topic such as “tech news,” “photography,” or “art.” Creators can also mark a Collection as “sensitive,” which hides the description and listed accounts behind a content warning — useful for topics like politics or mature themes.

Unlike Bluesky’s Starter Packs, Mastodon will not initially include a “Follow All” button. According to Imani Joy, Mastodon’s head of design, the team received feedback that mass-following from stale Starter Packs often led to subpar feeds. “We read feedback that people on Bluesky often found themselves mass following accounts from stale Starter Packs, only to have a subpar feed afterwards,” Joy wrote in the announcement.

Opt-Outs and Notifications

Mastodon is placing a strong emphasis on user control. Users will receive a notification if someone adds their account to a Collection, giving them the option to remove themselves. Additionally, users can report a Collection if it violates server rules. The platform also allows account holders to opt out entirely from being included in any Collections — a feature announced last year when the project was still called “Packs.”

This opt-out capability addresses a common privacy concern in decentralized social networks, where users may not want to be curated into lists without their consent. By notifying users and offering reporting tools, Mastodon aims to prevent abuse and spam while still encouraging community-driven discovery.

Focus on Creation Over Discovery

Mastodon’s initial rollout emphasizes creation rather than discovery. The team believes that a critical mass of community-created Collections must be reached before discovery tools become impactful. “The number of community-created Collections needs to hit a critical mass before certain discovery experiences become impactful,” Joy explained. Eventually, the platform plans to give server owners the ability to recommend Collections during the onboarding process, replacing the current recommended accounts feature. This shift could make it easier for new users to find relevant communities and experts in their areas of interest.

Background: The Rise of Starter Packs

Bluesky, a competing decentralized platform, introduced Starter Packs in late 2024. These curated lists quickly became one of the service’s most popular features, helping users navigate the platform’s expanding user base. Starter Packs allowed anyone to create a list of up to 50 accounts, which could be shared via a link or embedded in profiles. The feature contributed to Bluesky’s rapid growth, particularly after the 2024 U.S. election when many Twitter users migrated to decentralized alternatives.

Mastodon, which launched in 2016, has long been seen as the flagship of the Fediverse — a network of independent servers running compatible software like Mastodon, Pleroma, and Pixelfed. Despite its early lead, Mastodon struggled with user retention and onboarding complexity. The introduction of Collections signals that the platform is learning from competitors while maintaining its own values of privacy and moderation.

Technical Implementation and Server Autonomy

Collections are being developed as part of Mastodon 4.6, which also includes improvements to the compose interface and accessibility. The feature is opt-in for servers, meaning each server administrator can decide whether to enable it. This federated approach ensures that servers with stricter rules or smaller communities can choose not to participate, preserving the decentralized ethos.

Users on servers that do not yet support Collections will not be able to create them, but they may still view and follow accounts from Collections created on other servers. The feature is designed to be cross-server compatible, allowing federation to work as intended.

Comparisons to Bluesky

The comparison to Bluesky is inevitable, but Mastodon’s implementation includes several key differences. Besides the lack of a “Follow All” button, Mastodon Collections cap the number of accounts at 25 — half of Bluesky’s limit. The notification requirement also sets Mastodon apart; Bluesky does not automatically notify users when they are added to a Starter Pack. These choices reflect Mastodon’s broader focus on user consent and quality over quantity.

Bluesky’s Starter Packs have also been criticized for occasionally promoting spam or inactive accounts. By allowing users to opt out and report problematic Collections, Mastodon hopes to avoid similar pitfalls. The platform also plans to introduce additional moderation tools in future updates, such as the ability to flag Collections as containing bots or malicious content.

Impact on the Decentralized Social Media Landscape

The arrival of Collections could stimulate growth on Mastodon, which has seen fluctuating user numbers. As of early 2026, Mastodon has about 10 million active accounts, though the number of monthly active users is lower. Bluesky, by comparison, has grown to over 30 million users, partly due to its simpler onboarding and viral features like Starter Packs. Mastodon’s version could help close that gap by making it easier for newcomers to find engaging content without following thousands of random accounts.

Moreover, Collections may encourage server-specific communities to thrive. A server focused on photography, for example, could curate a Collection of the best photographers in the Fediverse, helping users discover talent across different instances. This cross-pollination is essential for the health of the decentralized ecosystem, which relies on inter-server connections to feel as cohesive as centralized platforms.

Mastodon’s design team has indicated that Collections will evolve over time. Future updates may include algorithmic recommendations for Collections, trending lists, and integration with the platform’s existing “Explore” tab. The goal is to create a rich discovery layer without compromising user autonomy.

For now, enthusiasts and early adopters on mastodon.social will be the first to experiment with Collections. The broader rollout with Mastodon 4.6 is expected within weeks, and server administrators are encouraged to prepare for the update by reviewing their moderation settings. As the Fediverse continues to mature, features like Collections demonstrate that decentralized platforms can innovate while respecting user rights — and perhaps even learn a thing or two from their competitors.

Source: The Verge News