If the instance is in the same country, a government can much more effectively exercise leverage against some guy running a server than a publicly traded corporation with lawyers on retainer.
If it's not the same country maybe easier just to ignore.
The best case in terms of privacy is just not collecting data. Something like mullvad vpn where they don't keep the sort of records that governments ask for.
Unfortunately anti spam measures often involve collecting identifying information (like email addresses).
Fuck these guys.
It's also a really nice feeling to help someone jump a car, or help push a disabled car off the road. It's this short(ish) and well defined opportunity to do good, without much gray area of "is this the best course of action" or "am I making an impact" you get with longer and more complex activism.