We went through this with Friendica - as service after service (including those on the so-called "free web") started shutting their doors to federation and blocking access from foreign services.  Some as a direct result of the fact that we were providing things that they couldn't or wouldn't.

Call me jaded. I left that project and started doing something completely different. Better and cooler but different. I don't believe federation is possible in today's climate. You're just chasing windmills. I understand - I chased the damn things too.