diff --git a/delete.py b/delete.py
index bb106b7ed..5f574d4f6 100644
--- a/delete.py
+++ b/delete.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ from utils import get_nickname_from_actor
 from utils import get_domain_from_actor
 from utils import locate_post
 from utils import deletePost
-from utils import removeModerationPostFromIndex
+from utils import remove_moderation_post_from_index
 from utils import local_actor_url
 from session import postJson
 from webfinger import webfingerHandle
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ def outboxDelete(base_dir: str, http_prefix: str,
             print("DEBUG: you can't delete a post which " +
                   "wasn't created by you (domain does not match)")
         return
-    removeModerationPostFromIndex(base_dir, messageId, debug)
+    remove_moderation_post_from_index(base_dir, messageId, debug)
     post_filename = locate_post(base_dir, deleteNickname, deleteDomain,
                                 messageId)
     if not post_filename:
diff --git a/inbox.py b/inbox.py
index f9d22f5e5..80b8a0d0f 100644
--- a/inbox.py
+++ b/inbox.py
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ from utils import get_domain_from_actor
 from utils import get_nickname_from_actor
 from utils import locate_post
 from utils import deletePost
-from utils import removeModerationPostFromIndex
+from utils import remove_moderation_post_from_index
 from utils import load_json
 from utils import save_json
 from utils import undo_likes_collection_entry
@@ -1777,7 +1777,7 @@ def _receiveDelete(session, handle: str, isGroup: bool, base_dir: str,
         print('DEBUG: unknown recipient of like - ' + handle)
     # if this post in the outbox of the person?
     messageId = remove_id_ending(message_json['object'])
-    removeModerationPostFromIndex(base_dir, messageId, debug)
+    remove_moderation_post_from_index(base_dir, messageId, debug)
     handleNickname = handle.split('@')[0]
     handleDomain = handle.split('@')[1]
     post_filename = locate_post(base_dir, handleNickname,
diff --git a/utils.py b/utils.py
index 4076cda97..ae3b40cd2 100644
--- a/utils.py
+++ b/utils.py
@@ -1488,8 +1488,8 @@ def _removeAttachment(base_dir: str, http_prefix: str, domain: str,
     post_json['attachment'] = []
 
 
-def removeModerationPostFromIndex(base_dir: str, post_url: str,
-                                  debug: bool) -> None:
+def remove_moderation_post_from_index(base_dir: str, post_url: str,
+                                      debug: bool) -> None:
     """Removes a url from the moderation index
     """
     moderation_index_file = base_dir + '/accounts/moderation.txt'
@@ -1557,8 +1557,8 @@ def _deletePostRemoveReplies(base_dir: str, nickname: str, domain: str,
               str(replies_filename))
 
 
-def _isBookmarked(base_dir: str, nickname: str, domain: str,
-                  post_filename: str) -> bool:
+def _is_bookmarked(base_dir: str, nickname: str, domain: str,
+                   post_filename: str) -> bool:
     """Returns True if the given post is bookmarked
     """
     bookmarks_index_filename = \
@@ -1737,7 +1737,7 @@ def deletePost(base_dir: str, http_prefix: str,
         return
 
     # don't allow deletion of bookmarked posts
-    if _isBookmarked(base_dir, nickname, domain, post_filename):
+    if _is_bookmarked(base_dir, nickname, domain, post_filename):
         return
 
     # don't remove replies to blog posts
@@ -1777,7 +1777,7 @@ def deletePost(base_dir: str, http_prefix: str,
             if post_json_object['object'].get('moderationStatus'):
                 if post_json_object.get('id'):
                     post_id = remove_id_ending(post_json_object['id'])
-                    removeModerationPostFromIndex(base_dir, post_id, debug)
+                    remove_moderation_post_from_index(base_dir, post_id, debug)
 
     # remove any hashtags index entries
     if has_object:
@@ -1900,8 +1900,8 @@ def validNickname(domain: str, nickname: str) -> bool:
     if not isValidLanguage(nickname):
         return False
     forbidden_chars = ('.', ' ', '/', '?', ':', ';', '@', '#', '!')
-    for c in forbidden_chars:
-        if c in nickname:
+    for char in forbidden_chars:
+        if char in nickname:
             return False
     # this should only apply for the shared inbox
     if nickname == domain: