It is not difficult to open a link with a picture if the user uses Lemmy through a browser. However, when you use the Lemmy app, it becomes inconvenient to constantly open pictures through the browser.
Using Sync so I can't relate to the picture opening in browser.
Sync is very good with handling that specific part.
Besides that my point still stands: Less storage needs and being a burden on the ressources of the lemmy instance provider.
use an app that embeds the image / gif into the post.
like sync, and most likely other apps too.
some hostings are still not supported, but the main ones are.
I don't think I've ever posted anything very important on Lemmy :P
Some user may post the next DenverCoder9 comment. You never know.
Except if you only repost memes. Then they only have an entertainment value.
But then maybe someone from KnowYourMeme will research with a post you did 10 years ago.