The assumption is that centrally managed social media is bad because their algorithm is bad. But actually, they are bad because they are centrally managed and force one algorithm onto you. I’m not even advocating algorithm-by-choice. Even instance-specific algorithms would already work and would make the whole experience much more enjoyable and less boring. And if an instance’s algorithm(s) is too aggressive, it gets defederated. That would result in a much more exciting experience imo. And by the way: what’s the problem with getting old posts back in the timeline if it makes the overall conversation more interesting?
Most people dont have an account for a single subject though. I could follow some software engineer and his posts about FOSS are going to have the same priority as his ramblings about politics or proper way to boil an egg.
I my experience so far, I need to follow hashtags to find people, but then eventually follow people to make a feed that isn’t covered in crap… But even then the actual news get overshadowed by just random thoughts or replies thst are of no interest to me and discovery again becomes an issue.
And every time it’s brought up people come up with a different solution; oh no you have to follow hashtags, oh no you have to follow people, oh no follow everything, but also curate and filter extensively, also multiple accounts, ugh. Tbh Id rather have an algorithm at this point.