diff --git a/follow.py b/follow.py
index 43979e10..c4b04fc4 100644
--- a/follow.py
+++ b/follow.py
@@ -11,11 +11,12 @@ from pprint import pprint
 import os
 import sys
 from person import validUsername
+from utils import domainPermitted
 
 def followPerson(baseDir: str,username: str, domain: str, followUsername: str, followDomain: str, federationList: [], followFile='following.txt') -> bool:
     """Adds a person to the follow list
     """
-    if followDomain.lower().replace('\n','') not in federationList:
+    if not domainPermitted(followDomain.lower().replace('\n',''), federationList):
         return False
     handle=username.lower()+'@'+domain.lower()
     handleToFollow=followUsername.lower()+'@'+followDomain.lower()
diff --git a/inbox.py b/inbox.py
index 1b6352e2..b24ce07e 100644
--- a/inbox.py
+++ b/inbox.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ __status__ = "Production"
 import json
 import os
 import datetime
+from utils import urlPermitted
 
 def inboxPermittedMessage(domain: str,messageJson: {},federationList: []) -> bool:
     """ check that we are receiving from a permitted domain
@@ -21,23 +22,13 @@ def inboxPermittedMessage(domain: str,messageJson: {},federationList: []) -> boo
     if domain in actor:
         return True
 
-    permittedDomain=False
-    for domain in federationList:
-        if domain in actor:
-            permittedDomain=True
-            break
-    if not permittedDomain:
+    if not urlPermitted(actor,federationList):
         return False
 
     if messageJson.get('object'):
         if messageJson['object'].get('inReplyTo'):
             inReplyTo=messageJson['object']['inReplyTo']
-            permittedReplyDomain=False
-            for domain in federationList:
-                if domain in inReplyTo:
-                    permittedReplyDomain=True
-                    break
-            if not permittedReplyDomain:
+            if not urlPermitted(inReplyTo, federationList):
                 return False
 
     return True
diff --git a/posts.py b/posts.py
index c18fdec1..84834e75 100644
--- a/posts.py
+++ b/posts.py
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ from webfinger import webfingerHandle
 from httpsig import createSignedHeader
 from utils import getStatusNumber
 from utils import createOutboxDir
+from utils import urlPermitted
 try: 
     from BeautifulSoup import BeautifulSoup
 except ImportError:
@@ -46,14 +47,6 @@ def getPersonKey(username: str,domain: str,baseDir: str,keyType='public'):
     if len(keyPem)<20:
         return ''
     return keyPem
-
-def permitted(url: str,federationList: []) -> bool:
-    """Is a url from one of the permitted domains?
-    """
-    for domain in federationList:
-        if domain in url:
-            return True
-    return False
     
 def cleanHtml(rawHtml: str) -> str:
     text = BeautifulSoup(rawHtml, 'html.parser').get_text()
@@ -153,7 +146,7 @@ def getPosts(session,outboxUrl: str,maxPosts: int,maxMentions: int,maxEmoji: int
                         if tagItem.get('name') and tagItem.get('icon'):
                             if tagItem['icon'].get('url'):
                                 # No emoji from non-permitted domains
-                                if permitted(tagItem['icon']['url'],federationList):
+                                if urlPermitted(tagItem['icon']['url'],federationList):
                                     emojiName=tagItem['name']
                                     emojiIcon=tagItem['icon']['url']
                                     emoji[emojiName]=emojiIcon
@@ -175,7 +168,7 @@ def getPosts(session,outboxUrl: str,maxPosts: int,maxMentions: int,maxEmoji: int
             if item['object'].get('inReplyTo'):
                 if item['object']['inReplyTo']:
                     # No replies to non-permitted domains
-                    if not permitted(item['object']['inReplyTo'],federationList):
+                    if not urlPermitted(item['object']['inReplyTo'],federationList):
                         continue
                     inReplyTo = item['object']['inReplyTo']
 
@@ -183,7 +176,7 @@ def getPosts(session,outboxUrl: str,maxPosts: int,maxMentions: int,maxEmoji: int
             if item['object'].get('conversation'):
                 if item['object']['conversation']:
                     # no conversations originated in non-permitted domains
-                    if permitted(item['object']['conversation'],federationList):                        
+                    if urlPermitted(item['object']['conversation'],federationList):                        
                         conversation = item['object']['conversation']
 
             attachment = []
@@ -192,7 +185,7 @@ def getPosts(session,outboxUrl: str,maxPosts: int,maxMentions: int,maxEmoji: int
                     for attach in item['object']['attachment']:
                         if attach.get('name') and attach.get('url'):
                             # no attachments from non-permitted domains
-                            if permitted(attach['url'],federationList):
+                            if urlPermitted(attach['url'],federationList):
                                 attachment.append([attach['name'],attach['url']])
 
             sensitive = False
diff --git a/session.py b/session.py
index c4073e02..795aa46e 100644
--- a/session.py
+++ b/session.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ __status__ = "Production"
 
 import requests
 from requests_toolbelt.adapters.source import SourceAddressAdapter
+from utils import urlPermitted
 import json
 
 baseDirectory=None
@@ -40,12 +41,7 @@ def postJson(session,postJsonObject: {},federationList: [],inboxUrl: str,headers
     """Post a json message to the inbox of another person
     """
     # check that we are posting to a permitted domain
-    permittedDomain=False
-    for domain in federationList:
-        if domain in inboxUrl:
-            permittedDomain=True
-            break
-    if not permittedDomain:
+    if not urlPermitted(inboxUrl,federationList):
         return None
 
     postResult = session.post(url = inboxUrl, data = json.dumps(postJsonObject), headers=headers)
diff --git a/utils.py b/utils.py
index f2a7b24f..0c5702f5 100644
--- a/utils.py
+++ b/utils.py
@@ -30,3 +30,18 @@ def createOutboxDir(username: str,domain: str,baseDir: str) -> str:
     if not os.path.isdir(outboxDir):
         os.mkdir(outboxDir)
     return outboxDir
+
+def domainPermitted(domain: str, federationList: []):
+    if len(federationList)==0:
+        return True
+    if domain in federationList:
+        return True
+    return False
+
+def urlPermitted(url: str, federationList: []):
+    if len(federationList)==0:
+        return True
+    for domain in federationList:
+        if domain in url:
+            return True
+    return False