Ah, yes, that's a very good point. You're the smartest man in the world!

Discord and email worked for a long time with needing something extra after the name. Why would the fediverse be different?

Give em a blue checkmark

Because anyone can grab the same name, on a different platform.

That's always the case, even for centralized platforms. Usernames are just usernames. Same thing with email. This is a fundamental problem with the internet and the solution is that celebrities and such host their own ActivityPub server (just like their own email server) or make it clear on their personal website what their own official account is somewhere else.

I honestly hope they never adopt the fediverse. Imagine wanting that.

What's stopping that same 7 year old taking TomHanks@Lemmy.World before the real Tom Hanks even knows about Lemmy?

It's not the lack of unique usernames that's a problem. It's the lack of identity verification. Which, I mean, understandably is lacking because it's not like there are high profile people making accounts here. Well, except of course for Margot Robbie.

Good