diff --git a/utils.py b/utils.py
index 16f4213c4..f5c7c072a 100644
--- a/utils.py
+++ b/utils.py
@@ -447,22 +447,22 @@ def remove_html(content: str) -> str:
     content = content.replace('<q>', '"').replace('</q>', '"')
     content = content.replace('</p>', '\n\n').replace('<br>', '\n')
     result = ''
-    for ch in content:
-        if ch == '<':
+    for char in content:
+        if char == '<':
             removing = True
-        elif ch == '>':
+        elif char == '>':
             removing = False
         elif not removing:
-            result += ch
+            result += char
 
     plain_text = result.replace('  ', ' ')
 
     # insert spaces after full stops
-    strLen = len(plain_text)
+    str_len = len(plain_text)
     result = ''
-    for i in range(strLen):
+    for i in range(str_len):
         result += plain_text[i]
-        if plain_text[i] == '.' and i < strLen - 1:
+        if plain_text[i] == '.' and i < str_len - 1:
             if plain_text[i + 1] >= 'A' and plain_text[i + 1] <= 'Z':
                 result += ' '
 
@@ -485,7 +485,7 @@ def first_paragraph_from_string(content: str) -> str:
 def is_system_account(nickname: str) -> bool:
     """Returns true if the given nickname is a system account
     """
-    if nickname == 'news' or nickname == 'inbox':
+    if nickname in ('news', 'inbox'):
         return True
     return False
 
@@ -518,10 +518,10 @@ def get_config_param(base_dir: str, variable_name: str):
     """
     _create_config(base_dir)
     config_filename = base_dir + '/config.json'
-    configJson = load_json(config_filename)
-    if configJson:
-        if variable_name in configJson:
-            return configJson[variable_name]
+    config_json = load_json(config_filename)
+    if config_json:
+        if variable_name in config_json:
+            return config_json[variable_name]
     return None
 
 
@@ -536,8 +536,8 @@ def is_suspended(base_dir: str, nickname: str) -> bool:
 
     suspended_filename = base_dir + '/accounts/suspended.txt'
     if os.path.isfile(suspended_filename):
-        with open(suspended_filename, 'r') as f:
-            lines = f.readlines()
+        with open(suspended_filename, 'r') as susp_file:
+            lines = susp_file.readlines()
         for suspended in lines:
             if suspended.strip('\n').strip('\r') == nickname:
                 return True
@@ -554,8 +554,8 @@ def get_followers_list(base_dir: str,
     if not os.path.isfile(filename):
         return []
 
-    with open(filename, 'r') as f:
-        lines = f.readlines()
+    with open(filename, 'r') as foll_file:
+        lines = foll_file.readlines()
         for i in range(len(lines)):
             lines[i] = lines[i].strip()
         return lines
@@ -573,7 +573,7 @@ def get_followers_of_person(base_dir: str,
     handle = nickname + '@' + domain
     if not os.path.isdir(base_dir + '/accounts/' + handle):
         return followers
-    for subdir, dirs, files in os.walk(base_dir + '/accounts'):
+    for subdir, dirs, _ in os.walk(base_dir + '/accounts'):
         for account in dirs:
             filename = os.path.join(subdir, account) + '/' + follow_file
             if account == handle or \
@@ -610,7 +610,7 @@ def remove_id_ending(id_str: str) -> str:
     return id_str
 
 
-def removeHashFromPostId(post_id: str) -> str:
+def remove_hash_from_post_id(post_id: str) -> str:
     """Removes any has from a post id
     """
     if '#' not in post_id:
diff --git a/webapp_post.py b/webapp_post.py
index 59ff0ec5a..6e2e5492a 100644
--- a/webapp_post.py
+++ b/webapp_post.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ from posts import postIsMuted
 from posts import getPersonBox
 from posts import downloadAnnounce
 from posts import populateRepliesJson
-from utils import removeHashFromPostId
+from utils import remove_hash_from_post_id
 from utils import remove_html
 from utils import get_actor_languages_list
 from utils import get_base_content_from_post
@@ -391,7 +391,7 @@ def _getReplyIconHtml(base_dir: str, nickname: str, domain: str,
         return replyStr
 
     # reply is permitted - create reply icon
-    replyToLink = removeHashFromPostId(post_json_object['object']['id'])
+    replyToLink = remove_hash_from_post_id(post_json_object['object']['id'])
     replyToLink = remove_id_ending(replyToLink)
 
     # see Mike MacGirvin's replyTo suggestion
@@ -573,7 +573,7 @@ def _getAnnounceIconHtml(isAnnounced: bool,
             unannounceLinkStr = '?unannounce=' + \
                 remove_id_ending(announceJsonObject['id'])
 
-    announcePostId = removeHashFromPostId(post_json_object['object']['id'])
+    announcePostId = remove_hash_from_post_id(post_json_object['object']['id'])
     announcePostId = remove_id_ending(announcePostId)
     announceLinkStr = '?' + \
         announceLink + '=' + announcePostId + pageNumberParam
@@ -642,7 +642,7 @@ def _getLikeIconHtml(nickname: str, domain_full: str,
         likeStr += '<label class="likesCount">'
         likeStr += likeCountStr.replace('(', '').replace(')', '').strip()
         likeStr += '</label>\n'
-    likePostId = removeHashFromPostId(post_json_object['id'])
+    likePostId = remove_hash_from_post_id(post_json_object['id'])
     likePostId = remove_id_ending(likePostId)
     likeStr += \
         '        <a class="imageAnchor" href="/users/' + nickname + '?' + \
@@ -689,7 +689,7 @@ def _getBookmarkIconHtml(nickname: str, domain_full: str,
         if translate.get(bookmarkTitle):
             bookmarkTitle = translate[bookmarkTitle]
     _logPostTiming(enableTimingLog, postStartTime, '12.6')
-    bookmarkPostId = removeHashFromPostId(post_json_object['object']['id'])
+    bookmarkPostId = remove_hash_from_post_id(post_json_object['object']['id'])
     bookmarkPostId = remove_id_ending(bookmarkPostId)
     bookmarkStr = \
         '        <a class="imageAnchor" href="/users/' + nickname + '?' + \
@@ -727,7 +727,7 @@ def _getReactionIconHtml(nickname: str, domain_full: str,
     if translate.get(reactionTitle):
         reactionTitle = translate[reactionTitle]
     _logPostTiming(enableTimingLog, postStartTime, '12.65')
-    reactionPostId = removeHashFromPostId(post_json_object['object']['id'])
+    reactionPostId = remove_hash_from_post_id(post_json_object['object']['id'])
     reactionPostId = remove_id_ending(reactionPostId)
     reactionStr = \
         '        <a class="imageAnchor" href="/users/' + nickname + \
@@ -1372,7 +1372,7 @@ def individualPostAsHtml(signing_priv_key_pem: str,
     avatarPosition = ''
     messageId = ''
     if post_json_object.get('id'):
-        messageId = removeHashFromPostId(post_json_object['id'])
+        messageId = remove_hash_from_post_id(post_json_object['id'])
         messageId = remove_id_ending(messageId)
 
     _logPostTiming(enableTimingLog, postStartTime, '2')