Background Mastodon’s timeline doesn’t rely on dopamine-driven algorithms – it is chronological and consent-based, showing only posts from accounts you (the person using Mastodon) have followed. This focus on privacy and conscious consumption is what leads many people to join the Fediverse in the first place. It also places an unfair ultimatum on incoming users: You’ll have to make an effort to figure out who to follow, or your timeline will mostly be empty.