So I've noticed with Facebook, when it comes to GIFs, Facebook requires that you post a URL to the GIF for it to work correctly. However if you upload the GIF from your device, it's just a still pic. And Facebook will allow you to upload pics no problem.
So what is the technological advantage of this? If they allowed you to upload and display anything, I guess they would take on the resource load to have to store and produce the GIF correctly. And linking saves those resources, and puts that load on the site it's coming from. But then, why wouldn't you have to link everything? Why specifically GIFs are the one's that must be linked? Is it because they want user-uploaded picture data only? It's been established in the past Facebook does want picture data, but then why not GIF data? Wouldn't it be just as valuable from a social media perspective? Because the pics you can upload aren't regulated to specifically user-generated. They can be pics of anything. But then is it just because you can't have one without the other? (in terms of uploading still pictures)
Just curious if I'm totally wrong in my understanding, or if I'm missing something obvious, or if no one really knows lol.
So what is the technological advantage of this? If they allowed you to upload and display anything, I guess they would take on the resource load to have to store and produce the GIF correctly. And linking saves those resources, and puts that load on the site it's coming from. But then, why wouldn't you have to link everything? Why specifically GIFs are the one's that must be linked? Is it because they want user-uploaded picture data only? It's been established in the past Facebook does want picture data, but then why not GIF data? Wouldn't it be just as valuable from a social media perspective? Because the pics you can upload aren't regulated to specifically user-generated. They can be pics of anything. But then is it just because you can't have one without the other? (in terms of uploading still pictures)
Just curious if I'm totally wrong in my understanding, or if I'm missing something obvious, or if no one really knows lol.
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