So, Google has done this before. They do omething similar with dislikes on YouTube. They aren't doing it manually. When a bunch of pissed off assholes brigade an app and flip a bunch of five star reviews to one star reviews based on one policy change, that's generally not something that Google want to have too trong of an effect. If negative reviews continue steadily over time, they'll pile up.

I recommended this on Matrix. It really was necessary. The site admins are in favor of vaccine misinformation and extreme fearmongering to the point of hostility towards science in general.

I don't think you understand. This wasn't a case of different opinions. This was an instance where the admins were aggressively promoting racism, vaccine misinformation and fearmongering, and staunch opposition to science. They had essentially openly bragged that, when faced with evidence, they would strongly prefer the opposite.

• An admin posted this. I hope I don't need to explain all the layers of garbage here.
• Here, an admin posted, saying that somebody who suggested compassion towards trans athletes was a "RINO," and saying fuck him -- how dare he suggest basic human decency towards trans people!

I really don't want to dig anymore, but it's bad.

On top of that, their idea of federation does not include the perspective of outsiders.