I believe the source text for federation of instances is curently quite confusing, and it could help the community to update it.
I looked up the difference between following and followed (see defenitions below)
Comparing lines 1283 (Followed, pending response) and 1285 (Follows us, pending approval), I think the word « followed » is intended to refer to an instance we want to follow.
But that is exactly the opposite of what it should be according to what I found looking up the difference between following and followed (see defenitons below).
So my suggetion would be to change it to:
Define Following
Following refers to the act of subscribing to someone’s content or updates on a social media platform or website. When you follow someone, you are essentially giving them permission to share their content with you, and you will receive notifications when they post new content. Following is a way to stay up-to-date with someone’s activities and interests.
On social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram, following someone means that their posts will appear in your feed. You can also interact with their content by liking, commenting, or sharing it with your own followers. Following someone on a blog or website means that you will receive updates and notifications when they publish new content.
Define Followed
Followed refers to the act of having someone subscribe to your content or updates on a social media platform or website. When someone follows you, they are essentially giving you permission to share your content with them, and they will receive notifications when you post new content. Being followed is a way to gain a following and build an audience.
On social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram, being followed means that your posts will appear in someone else’s feed. You can also interact with their content by liking, commenting, or sharing it with your own followers. Being followed on a blog or website means that someone has subscribed to your updates and will receive notifications when you publish new content.
(source: https://thecontentauthority.com/blog/following-vs-followed)