diff --git a/follow.py b/follow.py
index 61084e42b..a9e8e5f2f 100644
--- a/follow.py
+++ b/follow.py
@@ -45,8 +45,6 @@ from session import get_json
 from session import get_json_valid
 from session import post_json
 from followerSync import remove_followers_sync
-from data import load_string
-from data import save_string
 
 
 def create_initial_last_seen(base_dir: str, http_prefix: str) -> None:
@@ -67,16 +65,12 @@ def create_initial_last_seen(base_dir: str, http_prefix: str) -> None:
             if not os.path.isdir(last_seen_dir):
                 os.mkdir(last_seen_dir)
             following_handles: list[str] = []
-            following_handles_str = \
-                load_string(following_filename,
-                            'EX: create_initial_last_seen ' +
-                            following_filename)
-            if following_handles_str:
-                following_handles2 = following_handles_str.split('\n')
-                for follhandle in following_handles2:
-                    if not follhandle:
-                        continue
-                    following_handles.append(follhandle + '\n')
+            try:
+                with open(following_filename, 'r',
+                          encoding='utf-8') as fp_foll:
+                    following_handles = fp_foll.readlines()
+            except OSError:
+                print('EX: create_initial_last_seen ' + following_filename)
             for handle in following_handles:
                 if '#' in handle:
                     continue
@@ -92,10 +86,13 @@ def create_initial_last_seen(base_dir: str, http_prefix: str) -> None:
                     last_seen_dir + '/' + actor.replace('/', '#') + '.txt'
                 if os.path.isfile(last_seen_filename):
                     continue
-                text = str(100)
-                save_string(text, last_seen_filename,
-                            'EX: create_initial_last_seen 2 ' +
-                            last_seen_filename)
+                try:
+                    with open(last_seen_filename, 'w+',
+                              encoding='utf-8') as fp_last:
+                        fp_last.write(str(100))
+                except OSError:
+                    print('EX: create_initial_last_seen 2 ' +
+                          last_seen_filename)
         break
 
 
@@ -245,14 +242,11 @@ def get_follower_domains(base_dir: str, nickname: str, domain: str) -> []:
         return []
 
     lines: list[str] = []
-    lines_str = load_string(followers_file,
-                            'EX: get_follower_domains ' + followers_file)
-    if lines_str:
-        lines2 = lines_str.split('\n')
-        for line in lines2:
-            if not line:
-                continue
-            lines.append(line + '\n')
+    try:
+        with open(followers_file, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as fp_foll:
+            lines = fp_foll.readlines()
+    except OSError:
+        print('EX: get_follower_domains ' + followers_file)
 
     domains_list: list[str] = []
     for handle in lines:
@@ -284,11 +278,12 @@ def is_follower_of_person(base_dir: str, nickname: str, domain: str,
 
     already_following = False
 
-    followers_str = load_string(followers_file,
-                                'EX: is_follower_of_person ' +
-                                followers_file)
-    if followers_str is None:
-        followers_str = ''
+    followers_str = ''
+    try:
+        with open(followers_file, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as fp_foll:
+            followers_str = fp_foll.read()
+    except OSError:
+        print('EX: is_follower_of_person ' + followers_file)
 
     if handle in followers_str:
         already_following = True
@@ -338,16 +333,11 @@ def unfollow_account(base_dir: str, nickname: str, domain: str,
                   ' is not in ' + filename)
         return False
     lines: list[str] = []
-
-    lines_str = load_string(filename,
-                            'EX: unfollow_account ' + filename)
-    if lines_str:
-        lines2 = lines_str.split('\n')
-        for line in lines2:
-            if not line:
-                continue
-            lines.append(line + '\n')
-
+    try:
+        with open(filename, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as fp_unfoll:
+            lines = fp_unfoll.readlines()
+    except OSError:
+        print('EX: unfollow_account ' + filename)
     if lines:
         try:
             with open(filename, 'w+', encoding='utf-8') as fp_unfoll:
@@ -433,14 +423,11 @@ def _get_no_of_follows(base_dir: str, nickname: str, domain: str,
         return 0
     ctr = 0
     lines: list[str] = []
-    lines_str = load_string(filename,
-                            'EX: _get_no_of_follows ' + filename)
-    if lines_str:
-        lines2 = lines_str.split('\n')
-        for line in lines2:
-            if not line:
-                continue
-            lines.append(line + '\n')
+    try:
+        with open(filename, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as fp_foll:
+            lines = fp_foll.readlines()
+    except OSError:
+        print('EX: _get_no_of_follows ' + filename)
     if lines:
         for line in lines:
             if '#' in line:
@@ -558,14 +545,11 @@ def get_following_feed(base_dir: str, domain: str, port: int, path: str,
     page_ctr = 0
     total_ctr = 0
     lines: list[str] = []
-    lines_str = load_string(filename,
-                            'EX: get_following_feed ' + filename)
-    if lines_str:
-        lines2 = lines_str.split('\n')
-        for line in lines2:
-            if not line:
-                continue
-            lines.append(line + '\n')
+    try:
+        with open(filename, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as fp_foll:
+            lines = fp_foll.readlines()
+    except OSError:
+        print('EX: get_following_feed ' + filename)
     for line in lines:
         if '#' not in line:
             if '@' in line and not line.startswith('http'):
@@ -647,15 +631,12 @@ def no_of_follow_requests(base_dir: str,
         return 0
     ctr = 0
     lines: list[str] = []
-    lines_str = load_string(approve_follows_filename,
-                            'EX: no_of_follow_requests ' +
-                            approve_follows_filename)
-    if lines_str:
-        lines2 = lines_str.split('\n')
-        for line in lines2:
-            if not line:
-                continue
-            lines.append(line + '\n')
+    try:
+        with open(approve_follows_filename, 'r',
+                  encoding='utf-8') as fp_approve:
+            lines = fp_approve.readlines()
+    except OSError:
+        print('EX: no_of_follow_requests ' + approve_follows_filename)
     if lines:
         if follow_type == "onion":
             for file_line in lines: