I think that open web/indexes are interesting, a recent index for example like I was just browsing some indexes from https://theindex.fyi/ themselves and I can also add my websites inside of these.

Combined with hackernews,discord and perhaps Youtube and some other forums, I feel like its a much healthier way than requiring verified social platform.

Also, twitter used to be actually verified and that sign was a checkmark of verification but then they later cranked it up so that anyone can buy that checkmark and now we see slop accounts with checkmarks from my understanding on that website.

I think that perhaps something similar might happen to this idea that you mention.

The renewed friendster.com is another very interesting thing that I am keeping a very albeit distant eyes on it and I am interested in the ideas relating to what friendster is doing.

There is also spacehey which I find interesting which is a myspace alternative.