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there was a proposal running for a year or so, think blocktrades did it. not sure do they still use what they got from the proposal or just paying it by themselves.
also i think apps can set up where they want to host images. think Liketu is using their own but i am not sure.
you can also host it yourself and just add links, seen people doing that.
there was also some talks that when 3speak finishes their decentralized system for videos that maybe it could be used for images.

Ecency to upload images uses its own server; Leo uses imageshack...
all this does not sound as a great proof and 'stay forever at the blockchain' for me. 🙄

who claimed that hive blockchain stores photos?

Mr.Decentralised was his name, I slightly remember.