I absolutely agree, that "a cross-platform mass-user focused app with a consistent UX across the platforms" is missing desperately in the #Jabber/#XMPP ecosystem.
There are really good clients for Jabber, but none of them fits above description.
I do, however, feel the need for a #protocol#bridge, as the #XEP relies on 4/4, while tango is, as everybody knows, 2/4 (el famoso "dos por cuatro"). Time for #slidge "slango" or "tangidge" maybe?
HTTP upload is not client to client, but when *you* have your own server and send me an image, you could know *my* client IP by checking the server logs. If I don't use TOR.
In #Gajim, you can configure:
File Preview
Preview in Public Group Chats
Preview all Image URLs
Btw. @gajim, it would be cool to have a "preview images" setting per MUC. Let's say, I'm in one a cats MUC and in a cooking MUC. I don't want to miss any kitten, but seeing all the food porn is too much.
There is an issue that has driven me nuts for a long time: How to use foo with bar, but under baz instead of the usual quuz. Yes, tricky, but now I found that #tutorial!
However, instead of just having a simple web page with the text (20 kB), there is a long-winded YT #video (10 MB), in which someone just reads the text.
500 times the #carbon footprint, no way to copy text, and much harder to understand. But better to monetarize. Only a #podcast would be worse.