diff --git a/content.py b/content.py
index 6d619509c..5676bdcd0 100644
--- a/content.py
+++ b/content.py
@@ -561,25 +561,6 @@ def removeTextFormatting(content: str) -> str:
     return content
 
 
-def removeHtml(content: str) -> str:
-    """Removes html links from the given content.
-    Used to ensure that profile descriptions don't contain dubious content
-    """
-    if '<' not in content:
-        return content
-    removing = False
-    content = content.replace('<q>', '"').replace('</q>', '"')
-    result = ''
-    for ch in content:
-        if ch == '<':
-            removing = True
-        elif ch == '>':
-            removing = False
-        elif not removing:
-            result += ch
-    return result
-
-
 def removeLongWords(content: str, maxWordLength: int,
                     longWordsList: []) -> str:
     """Breaks up long words so that on mobile screens this doesn't
diff --git a/newswire.py b/newswire.py
index 80815d192..e044f8a12 100644
--- a/newswire.py
+++ b/newswire.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ from utils import loadJson
 from utils import saveJson
 from utils import isSuspended
 from utils import containsInvalidChars
+from utils import removeHtml
 from blocking import isBlockedDomain
 from blocking import isBlockedHashtag
 from filters import isFiltered
@@ -88,7 +89,7 @@ def addNewswireDictEntry(baseDir: str, domain: str,
                          tags=[], maxTags=32) -> None:
     """Update the newswire dictionary
     """
-    allText = title + ' ' + description
+    allText = removeHtml(title + ' ' + description)
 
     # check that none of the text is filtered against
     if isFiltered(baseDir, 'news', domain, allText):
diff --git a/posts.py b/posts.py
index e033957bb..ed93f04e9 100644
--- a/posts.py
+++ b/posts.py
@@ -49,9 +49,9 @@ from utils import getConfigParam
 from utils import locateNewsVotes
 from utils import locateNewsArrival
 from utils import votesOnNewswireItem
+from utils import removeHtml
 from media import attachMedia
 from media import replaceYouTube
-from content import removeHtml
 from content import removeLongWords
 from content import addHtmlTags
 from content import replaceEmojiFromTags
diff --git a/tests.py b/tests.py
index deeae1523..2f45f44e2 100644
--- a/tests.py
+++ b/tests.py
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ from utils import loadJson
 from utils import saveJson
 from utils import getStatusNumber
 from utils import getFollowersOfPerson
+from utils import removeHtml
 from follow import followerOfPerson
 from follow import unfollowPerson
 from follow import unfollowerOfPerson
@@ -71,7 +72,6 @@ from inbox import validInboxFilenames
 from content import htmlReplaceEmailQuote
 from content import htmlReplaceQuoteMarks
 from content import dangerousMarkup
-from content import removeHtml
 from content import addWebLinks
 from content import replaceEmojiFromTags
 from content import addHtmlTags
diff --git a/utils.py b/utils.py
index 77e3162ba..f23b2ed25 100644
--- a/utils.py
+++ b/utils.py
@@ -19,6 +19,25 @@ from calendar import monthrange
 from followingCalendar import addPersonToCalendar
 
 
+def removeHtml(content: str) -> str:
+    """Removes html links from the given content.
+    Used to ensure that profile descriptions don't contain dubious content
+    """
+    if '<' not in content:
+        return content
+    removing = False
+    content = content.replace('<q>', '"').replace('</q>', '"')
+    result = ''
+    for ch in content:
+        if ch == '<':
+            removing = True
+        elif ch == '>':
+            removing = False
+        elif not removing:
+            result += ch
+    return result
+
+
 def isSystemAccount(nickname: str) -> bool:
     """Returns true if the given nickname is a system account
     """
diff --git a/webinterface.py b/webinterface.py
index 8b9014a6c..04f96714a 100644
--- a/webinterface.py
+++ b/webinterface.py
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ from utils import getCachedPostFilename
 from utils import loadJson
 from utils import getConfigParam
 from utils import votesOnNewswireItem
+from utils import removeHtml
 from follow import isFollowingActor
 from webfinger import webfingerHandle
 from posts import isDM
@@ -71,7 +72,6 @@ from content import getMentionsFromHtml
 from content import addHtmlTags
 from content import replaceEmojiFromTags
 from content import removeLongWords
-from content import removeHtml
 from skills import getSkills
 from cache import getPersonFromCache
 from cache import storePersonInCache