Why I'm exploring a social network with no ads, no algorithms, and no archives

I've been tinkering with an idea called NINOFF, a quiet, ad-free social space for people who've had enough of noise.

It's not my first attempt at this concept. I've been carrying it around for about fifteen years, sketching it out, talking myself out of it, and circling back again. This time, I'm just testing the waters. I've built a small landing page and backend so people can register interest. I want to see if there's real appetite for something like this before committing to the full build.

The idea itself is deliberately simple:

Paid membership (so it's funded by people, not advertisers)

A limited number of posts per day

Only your last five posts stay visible, so nothing lingers forever

No vanity /ego metrics

The goal is to create something calmer and more human, where people share because they want to, not because they're chasing numbers or algorithms.

I'm not setting out to build the next Facebook. I just want to see if people still want a smaller, simpler space online.

If you've ever tested an idea like this before building it properly, I'd love to hear how you approached it. What helped you tell the difference between early curiosity and real demand?