I have noticed this behavior too, when I could have sworn it used to focus me in on News/Activism. I was seeing stuff from Smokey Backroom, going there and then wondering how I ended up in that place. Is that a change of site design or do I just misremember how it worked in older days? It would be nice if I didn't get Everything until I had asked into it.
It was changed a few years ago to give an “everything” browse option which is now the default. Previously, you had to select a forum.