diff --git a/daemon.py b/daemon.py
index 9d5f2960e..b27470cf4 100644
--- a/daemon.py
+++ b/daemon.py
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ from utils import media_file_mime_type
 from utils import getCSS
 from utils import first_paragraph_from_string
 from utils import clearFromPostCaches
-from utils import containsInvalidChars
+from utils import contains_invalid_chars
 from utils import is_system_account
 from utils import setConfigParam
 from utils import get_config_param
@@ -18224,7 +18224,7 @@ class PubServer(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
                 self.server.POSTbusy = False
                 return
 
-        if containsInvalidChars(messageBytes.decode("utf-8")):
+        if contains_invalid_chars(messageBytes.decode("utf-8")):
             self._400()
             self.server.POSTbusy = False
             return
diff --git a/newswire.py b/newswire.py
index 6fa0ddd6a..94c6d19d9 100644
--- a/newswire.py
+++ b/newswire.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ from utils import locate_post
 from utils import load_json
 from utils import save_json
 from utils import is_suspended
-from utils import containsInvalidChars
+from utils import contains_invalid_chars
 from utils import remove_html
 from utils import is_account_dir
 from utils import acct_dir
@@ -891,7 +891,7 @@ def getRSS(base_dir: str, domain: str, session, url: str,
         result = session.get(url, headers=sessionHeaders, params=sessionParams)
         if result:
             if int(len(result.text) / 1024) < maxFeedSizeKb and \
-               not containsInvalidChars(result.text):
+               not contains_invalid_chars(result.text):
                 return _xmlStrToDict(base_dir, domain, result.text,
                                      moderated, mirrored,
                                      maxPostsPerSource,
diff --git a/person.py b/person.py
index 5e84e294a..7b98b5792 100644
--- a/person.py
+++ b/person.py
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ from roles import setRolesFromList
 from roles import getActorRolesList
 from media import processMetaData
 from utils import remove_html
-from utils import containsInvalidChars
+from utils import contains_invalid_chars
 from utils import replace_users_with_at
 from utils import remove_line_endings
 from utils import remove_domain_port
@@ -1725,7 +1725,7 @@ def validSendingActor(session, base_dir: str,
 
         if actor_json.get('name'):
             bioStr += ' ' + remove_html(actor_json['name'])
-        if containsInvalidChars(bioStr):
+        if contains_invalid_chars(bioStr):
             print('REJECT: post actor bio contains invalid characters')
             return False
         if isFilteredBio(base_dir, nickname, domain, bioStr):
diff --git a/reaction.py b/reaction.py
index 2888ccaf4..a133c691e 100644
--- a/reaction.py
+++ b/reaction.py
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ from utils import load_json
 from utils import save_json
 from utils import remove_post_from_cache
 from utils import get_cached_post_filename
-from utils import containsInvalidChars
+from utils import contains_invalid_chars
 from posts import sendSignedJson
 from session import postJson
 from webfinger import webfingerHandle
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ def validEmojiContent(emojiContent: str) -> bool:
         return False
     if len(emojiRegex.findall(emojiContent)) == 0:
         return False
-    if containsInvalidChars(emojiContent):
+    if contains_invalid_chars(emojiContent):
         return False
     return True
 
diff --git a/utils.py b/utils.py
index 7b41232d9..0ce42dca8 100644
--- a/utils.py
+++ b/utils.py
@@ -743,32 +743,33 @@ def evil_incarnate() -> []:
 
 
 def is_evil(domain: str) -> bool:
-    # https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qw1hcevmdU
+    """ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qw1hcevmdU
+    """
     if not isinstance(domain, str):
         print('WARN: Malformed domain ' + str(domain))
         return True
     # if a domain contains any of these strings then it is
     # declaring itself to be hostile
-    evilEmporium = (
+    evil_emporium = (
         'nazi', 'extremis', 'extreemis', 'gendercritic',
         'kiwifarm', 'illegal', 'raplst', 'rapist',
         'antivax', 'plandemic'
     )
-    for hostileStr in evilEmporium:
-        if hostileStr in domain:
+    for hostile_str in evil_emporium:
+        if hostile_str in domain:
             return True
-    evilDomains = evil_incarnate()
-    for concentratedEvil in evilDomains:
-        if domain.endswith(concentratedEvil):
+    evil_domains = evil_incarnate()
+    for concentrated_evil in evil_domains:
+        if domain.endswith(concentrated_evil):
             return True
     return False
 
 
-def containsInvalidChars(jsonStr: str) -> bool:
+def contains_invalid_chars(json_str: str) -> bool:
     """Does the given json string contain invalid characters?
     """
-    for isInvalid in INVALID_CHARACTERS:
-        if isInvalid in jsonStr:
+    for is_invalid in INVALID_CHARACTERS:
+        if is_invalid in json_str:
             return True
     return False