Great idea @dan-atstarlite - maybe sign-ups should be done via G+/Facebook/Twitter Auth; not foolproof I know, but it takes things one step closer in terms of verification.
I haven't yet figured out why gravatar-type images of our profiles aren't an option (but I am very new here still!).
RE: Steemit Verification and 2 Reasons Why I Made My Own Steemit Business Cards