Lane filtering is apparently "lane splitting" at lower speeds.

Been riding for two decades and my understanding has been that 'splitting' is the yank term and 'filtering' is the britbong one.

They're different. Filtering is between stopped cars, splitting is in moving traffic.

This is completely arbitrary Internet lore. Unless you have local laws that define the terms, they don't actually mean anything. Also, if you're "filtering", then you will, inevitably, find yourself "lane splitting" when the light turns green before you reach the front.

I do in fact have a local law defining the terms: https://ridetolive.utah.gov/lane-filtering/

And I rarely find myself splitting when the light changes; I simply dip back into the lane when the light changes before traffic starts moving.

Nobody is going to cite you for filtering if you move into the gap to avoid a collision.

Filtering as a matter of habit eliminates the risk. That's OP's point, not that motorcyclists should watch their mirrors like a hawk and jump between lanes when they decide that the driver behind them might not stop.

As a motorcyclist, lane filtering also comes with some dangers. It's up to each motorcyclist to decide if it's worth it. I lane split in heavy traffic in CA but I'm also very wary about being the first vehicle into an intersection after a light changes. I see far more people running red lights around me than I do people rear ending stopped traffic at a light. I'm glad we have the option.