u/Wise_Economist_3121

This project didn't start with code. It started decades ago.

Back in the Commodore 64 days, I was a BBS sysop, and I spent countless hours on Quantum Link. Long before social media became what it is today, those places showed me what an online community could be. Nobody was chasing engagement or performing for an algorithm. There was no endless feed deciding what you should see next. You joined because you wanted to be part of something.

That experience stayed with me.

So, I built PeopleConnections — not a retro throwback, but a modern place with some old ideas: no ads, no algorithmic feed, no tracking, no data selling. It honestly started as a learning project to push my PHP, JavaScript, and SQL past tutorial apps by building something real. Somewhere along the way it became something I actually believe in.

The feature I'm proudest of is the profile canvas: every member gets a blank space they can design and animate however they want — drag anything anywhere, add motion, build a whole scene. Instead of a million identical profiles, each one becomes an extension of its owner. (There's also a tiny teddy bear who might wander across your profile exactly once, say something kind, and never come back. Long story.)

Building features turned out to be the easy part. The hard part was everything nobody sees. In the past week alone: a full visual redesign, CSRF protection everywhere, hardened sessions, stricter upload validation, rate-limited auth, and security issues I didn't know existed until a real audit found them. If anyone wants a write-up on the security side, I learned some things the hard way and I'm happy to share.

It's small, it's free, and I solo-built all of it on shared hosting. I'm not trying to recreate the internet of the '80s — those days are gone, and that's okay. But conversations over engagement, people over algorithms, and creativity over conformity still seem worth building for.

🔗 https://peopleconnections.org

Happy to answer anything about the build, the stack, or why there's a bear :)

I recently built PeopleConnections, a small social network focused on privacy, creativity, and direct interaction between people.

Unlike most social platforms, it has no ads, no AI, no algorithmic feeds, no tracking, and no data sharing. One of the main features is a customizable profile canvas where each member can design and animate their own page instead of using a standard profile layout.

I'm not trying to promote it here. I'm genuinely looking for feedback from people who enjoy reviewing websites

Website: PeopleConnections — Your Profile. Your Way.

I'm especially interested in hearing your thoughts on:

• The overall UI and visual design
• User experience and navigation
• Whether the purpose of the site is clear to a first-time visitor
• The profile customization concept and whether it feels interesting or confusing
• Anything that feels unintuitive or could be improved

Your feedback and comments are welcomed.

Thanks for taking the time to look!

I built PeopleConnections, a small social network designed to be Simple, Private, and Creative. No ads, no AI, no algorithmic feeds, no tracking, and no data sharing. Just people connecting directly.

The main feature is a customizable profile canvas. Every member gets a blank space they can design and animate however they want. Instead of identical profiles, each profile becomes a unique, interactive space that reflects the person behind it.

PeopleConnections is for anyone who wants:

✨ A social space without algorithms

🎨 Profiles that feel personal, not templated

💬 A community built on creativity and conversation

🛡️ No tracking or monetization, just people connecting

🧸 A tiny visitor named Teddy, who loves exploring everyone's profiles

A little corner of the internet you can truly make your own.

PeopleConnections — Your Profile. Your Way.