I think it's ok for a NOSTR noob to follow a bunch of accounts at first just to establish a feed and then pare it down and build it up from there as preference dictates.

I also think it's ok to go back through one's following list and check for active users. I just did that recently and chopped out anyone who hadn't posted or replied in the last 6 months.

I'll probably do that again in another 6 months.

What I won't do is follow a bunch of people, then unfollow them, and then repeat that follow/unfollow cycle just to generate attention for my account.

I think that's SPAMmy.

I think each time a user refollows the same user they've previously followed in the past, there should be a ratcheting time wall that must be cleared.

I would do it Fibonacci style using days as units.

First re-follow is a 1 day delay.

2nd is a 1 day delay.

3rd is a 2 day delay.

4th is a 3 day delay.

5th is a 5 day delay.

6th is an 8 day delay.

7th is a 13 day delay.

8th is a 21 day delay.

etc.

Eventually these bots will be getting 987 day delays between refollows and they'll be useless after a relatively brief honeymoon period.