Because the federation is disturbing for casual users, it seems normal to

remind ourselves of what social media used to be: a way to connect around shared interests, talk to friends, and discover new content. No grifts, no viral fame, no drama.

The barrier to be free on the web is highly correlated to the level of expertise.

You could loosely map some of them by how easy it is to get started if you have no technical knowledge. [...] The more independence a technology gives you, the higher its barrier for adoption.

Owning, control and independance on the web should be just as easy as signing up for a cellphone plan.