Mastodon, the decentralized social networking platform, is gearing up to introduce a new feature called "Collections" that will allow users to curate and share lists of up to 25 recommended accounts. The feature, which takes clear inspiration from Bluesky's Starter Packs, is expected to roll out in the coming weeks, starting with the mastodon.social server. This move comes as Mastodon continues to evolve its platform to improve user onboarding and content discovery, while addressing some of the shortcomings observed in similar features on competing networks.
Announced on Thursday by Mastodon's head of design, Imani Joy, the Collections feature will let users create themed lists of accounts, complete with a short description and topic tags. Creators can also mark their Collections as "sensitive," which hides the description and the accounts behind a content warning—a nod to Mastodon's strong emphasis on user safety and content moderation. The feature is part of a broader effort to make the decentralized ecosystem more accessible to newcomers, who often struggle to find interesting accounts to follow when they first join.
What Are Mastodon Collections?
Collections are essentially curated bundles of up to 25 Mastodon accounts, grouped around a common theme, interest, or community. For example, a user might create a Collection titled "Best Tech Journalists" or "Hiking Enthusiasts on Mastodon." Each Collection can include a short description and topic tags to help others find it. The feature is designed to be self-contained: anybody on a participating server can create a Collection, and others can browse through them to discover new accounts.
Mastodon has been developing this concept for some time. Earlier in 2025, the platform teased a feature then called "Packs," which evolved into today's Collections. The change in name reflects a shift in focus—from simply grouping accounts to building a discoverable repository of user-generated recommendations.
How It Differs From Bluesky Starter Packs
Bluesky's Starter Packs allow users to quickly follow an entire curated list of accounts with a single "Follow All" button. Mastodon is deliberately omitting that button at launch. According to Imani Joy, Mastodon received feedback that the mass-follow approach often led to stale feeds, as users followed accounts from old or abandoned Starter Packs without checking whether those accounts were still active or relevant. Instead, Mastodon is encouraging users to manually follow individual accounts within a Collection, promoting more intentional engagement.
Another key difference is the opt-out mechanism. Mastodon users will receive a notification if someone adds them to a Collection, and they can choose to remove themselves from that Collection. They can also report a Collection if it violates community guidelines. Bluesky's Starter Packs, by contrast, do not automatically notify users when they are added, though users can block or report packs that are abusive.
Rollout Plan and Technical Details
Collections will initially be tested on the mastodon.social server—the largest and most popular Mastodon instance—within the next week. Following that pilot, the feature will be bundled into Mastodon version 4.6, which is expected to be released to all servers that choose to upgrade. Mastodon's decentralized nature means that individual server administrators will decide whether to enable Collections on their instances, although it is likely to become a standard feature.
Mastodon is also planning to give server owners the ability to recommend Collections during the onboarding process for new users. This would replace the current static recommended accounts list, allowing new members to see community-vetted collections of interesting people and pages right from the start. However, Joy noted that this discovery feature will only roll out once a critical mass of Collections has been created, to ensure that the recommendations are genuinely useful and diverse.
The Problem With Onboarding on Mastodon
Mastodon has long struggled with user retention, partly because its decentralized structure can confuse first-time users. Unlike centralized platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) or Threads, where new users are immediately shown trending topics and suggested accounts, Mastodon often presents a blank slate. The platform relies on users actively searching for federated accounts or joining specialized servers, which can be daunting for those accustomed to algorithm-driven feeds.
Collections aim to bridge that gap by providing a community-curated entry point. The feature is designed to be both a discovery tool and a social ritual—users can share their Collections with friends or embed them on websites, creating a viral loop that brings more people into the fold. Mastodon's approach also emphasizes quality over quantity, as each Collection is limited to 25 accounts, forcing curators to be selective.
Privacy and Control
Privacy is a major consideration in the design of Collections. Users will be notified when they are added to a Collection and can opt out at any time. They can also report a Collection if it contains harmful or misleading content. The sensitive content flag allows curators to shield their Collections from accidental exposure, similar to Mastodon's existing content warning system for posts. This granular control is intended to prevent the feature from being abused for harassment or spam.
Mastodon has also emphasized that Collections will not be algorithmically populated—every list is manually created by a human user. This avoids the pitfalls of automated recommendations that can amplify echo chambers or low-quality content. The platform hopes that organic, user-driven curation will foster healthier communities and more meaningful connections.
Comparison With Other Platforms
Bluesky launched Starter Packs in late 2024, and the feature quickly became a staple for new users migrating from X. However, some critics argue that Starter Packs can become stale or outdated, as accounts may become inactive or change their posting habits. Mastodon's decision to omit a "Follow All" button is a direct response to that criticism. By forcing users to review individual accounts, Mastodon hopes to encourage more deliberate following decisions.
Threads, Meta's X competitor, has also experimented with curated lists, though its approach is more centralized and algorithm-driven. Mastodon's Collections, being decentralized and user-created, align with the platform's core philosophy of giving power back to the community. Server administrators can moderate Collections within their instance, but there is no central authority deciding which Collections are promoted.
What This Means for the Fediverse
The introduction of Collections could have a significant impact on the broader fediverse—the network of decentralized services that use the ActivityPub protocol. While Collections are currently Mastodon-specific, they may inspire similar features on other ActivityPub-compatible platforms, such as Pixelfed (for photos) or PeerTube (for video). The ability to share curated lists of accounts across different services could further blur the lines between platforms and encourage cross-pollination.
Mastodon has also hinted that Collections might eventually support accounts from other fediverse services, though that capability is not confirmed for the initial release. If realized, that would make Collections a truly cross-platform discovery tool, enabling users to follow not just Mastodon users but also accounts on Mastodon-compatible platforms like Pixelfed or WriteFreely.
Reactions From the Community
Early reactions from the Mastodon community have been mixed but largely positive. Longtime users appreciate the opt-out notification, which addresses a long-standing demand for more control over how their profiles appear. Some admin-level users are excited about the potential to replace the default recommended accounts with dynamic, community-driven Collections during onboarding. However, a few critics worry that the 25-account limit might be too restrictive for broad topics like "technology" or "art," and have asked for larger limits or the ability to link multiple Collections.
Mastodon's design team has indicated that the limit is intentional—to encourage curators to focus on quality, not quantity—but they are open to adjusting it based on feedback after the broader launch. The platform is also exploring the possibility of allowing Collections to be grouped into categories or featured on instance landing pages.
Technical Implementation and Moderation
From a technical standpoint, Collections are stored as a new type of object within the Mastodon database, linked to the creator's account. When a user creates a Collection, it generates a unique URL that can be shared publicly or privately. The sensitive flag, when enabled, adds a content warning overlay similar to that used for individual posts. Moderation tools allow server admins to delete or restrict Collections that violate instance rules, and users can block any Collection they do not want to see.
Mastodon has also introduced a reporting mechanism for Collections, which works the same way as reporting a post or user. Reports are sent to the instance administrator of the Collection creator, and if the Collection is found to be in violation, it can be removed across the fediverse. This decentralized moderation system is a hallmark of Mastodon's approach, ensuring that no single entity has absolute control.
Looking Forward
The rollout of Collections is the latest in a series of updates aimed at making Mastodon more user-friendly without compromising its core values of decentralization and user autonomy. Previous updates included the introduction of grouped notifications, improved search functionality, and better support for quote posts. Collections represent a major step toward solving the discovery problem that has historically plagued the platform.
As the mastodon.social pilot begins, the community will be watching closely to see how Collections are adopted and whether they drive a noticeable increase in user engagement. If successful, Collections could become a defining feature of Mastodon's identity, distinguishing it from both centralized rivals and other decentralized platforms. The feature's emphasis on manual curation, privacy controls, and user empowerment aligns perfectly with the philosophy of the fediverse.
For now, users eager to start creating Collections will need to wait for the broader Mastodon 4.6 release, which is expected in the coming months. Server administrators should start preparing their communities for the change, updating documentation and moderation guidelines to accommodate the new feature. In the meantime, the team at Mastodon is finalizing the last details and listening to feedback from the initial rollout. The decentralized social network that many thought was niche is now taking concrete steps to become a mainstream alternative—one Collection at a time.
Source: The Verge News