what are .webp files and why has my online experience been plagued by them?
I don't know what a .webp file is but I don't like it. They're like a filthy prank version of the image/gif you're looking for. They make you jump through all these hoops to find the original versions of the files that you can actually do anything with.
Edit: honestly I assumed it had something to do with Google protecting themselves from image piracy shit
Weird. WebP works for me in Discord just fine, both on desktop and mobile. It's all just Chromium under the hood after all (unless it's an iPhone, in which case it's probably Safari)
That's discord being shite. Same thing happens with AV1 videos. But if you inspect element inside the client and change the source video or image, webp or AV1 can embed just fine.
My assumption is that they're afraid they won't display on all platforms. But it could still try.
I can't speak for Messenger though. I won't touch Facebook with a pole.