@rolle large number of fediverse users is not equivalent to creating manipulating and manipulated herds of influencers and followers.
In the absence of devious algorithmic timelines, pay-to-reach models and virality dark patterns invented by adtech these pathologies are much less prevalent.
Large numbers of users and "critical mass" are just factors that will help make the development and support of this technology more sustainable.
The rest is up to the communities to design and live by.