It's not some big secret. You're trying to invent a conspiracy when there is none.

There's one particular website that they don't like, and they see declining engagement from, so they leave. There's other websites that might have less engagement, but they do like it, so they stay there. Then there's other websites that might have similar ideological disdain for, but they get very broad reach from, so they reluctantly stay.

I really don't see what the big deal is with trying to reach a broad audience.