It has in some ways, it's awfully convenient that features that would harm their ability to spread their ideology get neutered or not developed fully. Like making the modlog less useful, neutering the vote system (Lemmy used to have a more robust voting system, until they noticed that it could be used against them) or still not having a proper blocking system in place after 4 years

There's also the "soft" issues, instance admins not wanting to take the step of defederating with .ml when they do so with grad and hex because they depend on support from dessalines and they fear he would be petty and cut off support with them if they dared to do so (which prob would)