On the other hand, it should be possible to independently organize and implement a curated view of crates.io, choosing only crates that achieve the independent organization's criteria for inclusion. You yourself could start good.crates.rs, for instance, and form a group to help decide which were the good ones. As a newbie, I'd find such an advice site useful.
A curated view of crates.io wouldn't prevent name squatting, but (again as a newbie) I don't much care whether a crate that does what I want has the perfect name, so long as I can find it by its keywords or description — or by a recommendation from something like good.crates.rs.