diff --git a/src/lib/notifee.ts b/src/lib/notifee.ts
index d2e29c0a78..866319031f 100644
--- a/src/lib/notifee.ts
+++ b/src/lib/notifee.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import {AppBskyEmbedImages} from '@atproto/api'
 import {RootStoreModel} from 'state/models/root-store'
 import {NotificationsFeedItemModel} from 'state/models/feeds/notifications'
 import {enforceLen} from 'lib/strings/helpers'
+import {sanitizeDisplayName} from './strings/display-names'
 import {resetToTab} from '../Navigation'
 
 export function init(store: RootStoreModel) {
@@ -42,7 +43,9 @@ export function displayNotification(
 export function displayNotificationFromModel(
   notif: NotificationsFeedItemModel,
 ) {
-  let author = notif.author.displayName || notif.author.handle
+  let author = sanitizeDisplayName(
+    notif.author.displayName || notif.author.handle,
+  )
   let title: string
   let body: string = ''
   if (notif.isLike) {
diff --git a/src/lib/strings/display-names.ts b/src/lib/strings/display-names.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5b58dec3d0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/strings/display-names.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+// \u2705 = ✅
+// \u2713 = ✓
+// \u2714 = ✔
+// \u2611 = ☑
+const CHECK_MARKS_RE = /[\u2705\u2713\u2714\u2611]/gu
+
+export function sanitizeDisplayName(str: string): string {
+  if (typeof str === 'string') {
+    return str.replace(CHECK_MARKS_RE, '')
+  }
+  return ''
+}
diff --git a/src/view/com/composer/Composer.tsx b/src/view/com/composer/Composer.tsx
index 10a44542e0..7dcd6b2c10 100644
--- a/src/view/com/composer/Composer.tsx
+++ b/src/view/com/composer/Composer.tsx
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import {useStores} from 'state/index'
 import * as apilib from 'lib/api/index'
 import {ComposerOpts} from 'state/models/ui/shell'
 import {s, colors, gradients} from 'lib/styles'
+import {sanitizeDisplayName} from 'lib/strings/display-names'
 import {cleanError} from 'lib/strings/errors'
 import {SelectPhotoBtn} from './photos/SelectPhotoBtn'
 import {OpenCameraBtn} from './photos/OpenCameraBtn'
@@ -265,7 +266,9 @@ export const ComposePost = observer(function ComposePost({
                 <UserAvatar avatar={replyTo.author.avatar} size={50} />
                 <View style={styles.replyToPost}>
                   <Text type="xl-medium" style={[pal.text]}>
-                    {replyTo.author.displayName || replyTo.author.handle}
+                    {sanitizeDisplayName(
+                      replyTo.author.displayName || replyTo.author.handle,
+                    )}
                   </Text>
                   <Text type="post-text" style={pal.text} numberOfLines={6}>
                     {replyTo.text}
diff --git a/src/view/com/notifications/FeedItem.tsx b/src/view/com/notifications/FeedItem.tsx
index dab26dbf7c..e77eae17e1 100644
--- a/src/view/com/notifications/FeedItem.tsx
+++ b/src/view/com/notifications/FeedItem.tsx
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import {NotificationsFeedItemModel} from 'state/models/feeds/notifications'
 import {PostThreadModel} from 'state/models/content/post-thread'
 import {s, colors} from 'lib/styles'
 import {ago} from 'lib/strings/time'
+import {sanitizeDisplayName} from 'lib/strings/display-names'
 import {pluralize} from 'lib/strings/helpers'
 import {HeartIconSolid} from 'lib/icons'
 import {Text} from '../util/text/Text'
@@ -187,7 +188,9 @@ export const FeedItem = observer(function FeedItem({
                   key={authors[0].href}
                   style={[pal.text, s.bold, styles.metaItem]}
                   href={authors[0].href}
-                  text={authors[0].displayName || authors[0].handle}
+                  text={sanitizeDisplayName(
+                    authors[0].displayName || authors[0].handle,
+                  )}
                 />
                 {authors.length > 1 ? (
                   <>
@@ -310,7 +313,7 @@ function ExpandedAuthorsList({
         <Link
           key={author.href}
           href={author.href}
-          title={author.displayName || author.handle}
+          title={sanitizeDisplayName(author.displayName || author.handle)}
           style={styles.expandedAuthor}
           asAnchor>
           <View style={styles.expandedAuthorAvi}>
@@ -322,7 +325,7 @@ function ExpandedAuthorsList({
               numberOfLines={1}
               style={pal.text}
               lineHeight={1.2}>
-              {author.displayName || author.handle}
+              {sanitizeDisplayName(author.displayName || author.handle)}
               &nbsp;
               <Text style={[pal.textLight]} lineHeight={1.2}>
                 {author.handle}
diff --git a/src/view/com/notifications/InvitedUsers.tsx b/src/view/com/notifications/InvitedUsers.tsx
index 2c44eb5b5e..73469d2ad8 100644
--- a/src/view/com/notifications/InvitedUsers.tsx
+++ b/src/view/com/notifications/InvitedUsers.tsx
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import {CenteredView} from '../util/Views.web'
 import {useStores} from 'state/index'
 import {usePalette} from 'lib/hooks/usePalette'
 import {s} from 'lib/styles'
+import {sanitizeDisplayName} from 'lib/strings/display-names'
 
 export const InvitedUsers = observer(() => {
   const store = useStores()
@@ -65,7 +66,7 @@ function InvitedUser({
             type="md-bold"
             style={pal.text}
             href={`/profile/${profile.handle}`}
-            text={profile.displayName || profile.handle}
+            text={sanitizeDisplayName(profile.displayName || profile.handle)}
           />{' '}
           joined using your invite code!
         </Text>
diff --git a/src/view/com/post-thread/PostThreadItem.tsx b/src/view/com/post-thread/PostThreadItem.tsx
index b23bebe0a9..3d3647f60f 100644
--- a/src/view/com/post-thread/PostThreadItem.tsx
+++ b/src/view/com/post-thread/PostThreadItem.tsx
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import * as Toast from '../util/Toast'
 import {UserAvatar} from '../util/UserAvatar'
 import {s} from 'lib/styles'
 import {ago} from 'lib/strings/time'
+import {sanitizeDisplayName} from 'lib/strings/display-names'
 import {pluralize} from 'lib/strings/helpers'
 import {useStores} from 'state/index'
 import {PostMeta} from '../util/PostMeta'
@@ -151,7 +152,9 @@ export const PostThreadItem = observer(function PostThreadItem({
                     style={[pal.text]}
                     numberOfLines={1}
                     lineHeight={1.2}>
-                    {item.post.author.displayName || item.post.author.handle}
+                    {sanitizeDisplayName(
+                      item.post.author.displayName || item.post.author.handle,
+                    )}
                   </Text>
                 </Link>
                 <Text type="md" style={[styles.metaItem, pal.textLight]}>
diff --git a/src/view/com/posts/FeedItem.tsx b/src/view/com/posts/FeedItem.tsx
index 5ec0c43a8f..569d11257d 100644
--- a/src/view/com/posts/FeedItem.tsx
+++ b/src/view/com/posts/FeedItem.tsx
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import {s} from 'lib/styles'
 import {useStores} from 'state/index'
 import {usePalette} from 'lib/hooks/usePalette'
 import {useAnalytics} from 'lib/analytics'
+import {sanitizeDisplayName} from 'lib/strings/display-names'
 
 export const FeedItem = observer(function ({
   item,
@@ -151,9 +152,9 @@ export const FeedItem = observer(function ({
           <Link
             style={styles.includeReason}
             href={`/profile/${item.reasonRepost.by.handle}`}
-            title={
-              item.reasonRepost.by.displayName || item.reasonRepost.by.handle
-            }>
+            title={sanitizeDisplayName(
+              item.reasonRepost.by.displayName || item.reasonRepost.by.handle,
+            )}>
             <FontAwesomeIcon
               icon="retweet"
               style={[
@@ -172,10 +173,10 @@ export const FeedItem = observer(function ({
                 style={pal.textLight}
                 lineHeight={1.2}
                 numberOfLines={1}
-                text={
+                text={sanitizeDisplayName(
                   item.reasonRepost.by.displayName ||
-                  item.reasonRepost.by.handle
-                }
+                    item.reasonRepost.by.handle,
+                )}
                 href={`/profile/${item.reasonRepost.by.handle}`}
               />
             </Text>
diff --git a/src/view/com/profile/ProfileCard.tsx b/src/view/com/profile/ProfileCard.tsx
index 339e535ad4..dfbc2ddbde 100644
--- a/src/view/com/profile/ProfileCard.tsx
+++ b/src/view/com/profile/ProfileCard.tsx
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import {s} from 'lib/styles'
 import {usePalette} from 'lib/hooks/usePalette'
 import {useStores} from 'state/index'
 import {FollowButton} from './FollowButton'
+import {sanitizeDisplayName} from 'lib/strings/display-names'
 
 export function ProfileCard({
   testID,
@@ -57,7 +58,7 @@ export function ProfileCard({
             style={[s.bold, pal.text]}
             numberOfLines={1}
             lineHeight={1.2}>
-            {displayName || handle}
+            {sanitizeDisplayName(displayName || handle)}
           </Text>
           <Text type="md" style={[pal.textLight]} numberOfLines={1}>
             @{handle}
diff --git a/src/view/com/profile/ProfileHeader.tsx b/src/view/com/profile/ProfileHeader.tsx
index 36aadb9e2e..47281c4506 100644
--- a/src/view/com/profile/ProfileHeader.tsx
+++ b/src/view/com/profile/ProfileHeader.tsx
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import {useStores} from 'state/index'
 import {ProfileImageLightbox} from 'state/models/ui/shell'
 import {pluralize} from 'lib/strings/helpers'
 import {toShareUrl} from 'lib/strings/url-helpers'
+import {sanitizeDisplayName} from 'lib/strings/display-names'
 import {s, colors} from 'lib/styles'
 import {DropdownButton, DropdownItem} from '../util/forms/DropdownButton'
 import * as Toast from '../util/Toast'
@@ -58,7 +59,7 @@ export const ProfileHeader = observer(
             </View>
             <View style={styles.displayNameLine}>
               <Text type="title-2xl" style={[pal.text, styles.title]}>
-                {view.displayName || view.handle}
+                {sanitizeDisplayName(view.displayName || view.handle)}
               </Text>
             </View>
           </View>
@@ -108,9 +109,9 @@ const ProfileHeaderLoaded = observer(function ProfileHeaderLoaded({
     view?.toggleFollowing().then(
       () => {
         Toast.show(
-          `${view.viewer.following ? 'Following' : 'No longer following'} ${
-            view.displayName || view.handle
-          }`,
+          `${
+            view.viewer.following ? 'Following' : 'No longer following'
+          } ${sanitizeDisplayName(view.displayName || view.handle)}`,
         )
       },
       err => store.log.error('Failed to toggle follow', err),
@@ -266,7 +267,7 @@ const ProfileHeaderLoaded = observer(function ProfileHeaderLoaded({
             testID="profileHeaderDisplayName"
             type="title-2xl"
             style={[pal.text, styles.title]}>
-            {view.displayName || view.handle}
+            {sanitizeDisplayName(view.displayName || view.handle)}
           </Text>
         </View>
         <View style={styles.handleLine}>
diff --git a/src/view/com/search/Suggestions.tsx b/src/view/com/search/Suggestions.tsx
index 5231faeaca..e9999e1d26 100644
--- a/src/view/com/search/Suggestions.tsx
+++ b/src/view/com/search/Suggestions.tsx
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import {FoafsModel} from 'state/models/discovery/foafs'
 import {SuggestedActorsModel} from 'state/models/discovery/suggested-actors'
 import {SuggestedFollows} from 'view/com/discover/SuggestedFollows'
 import {ProfileCardFeedLoadingPlaceholder} from 'view/com/util/LoadingPlaceholder'
+import {sanitizeDisplayName} from 'lib/strings/display-names'
 
 export const Suggestions = observer(
   ({
@@ -43,7 +44,9 @@ export const Suggestions = observer(
           return (
             <View key={`sf-${item.did}`} style={styles.suggestions}>
               <SuggestedFollows
-                title={`Followed by ${item.displayName || item.handle}`}
+                title={`Followed by ${sanitizeDisplayName(
+                  item.displayName || item.handle,
+                )}`}
                 suggestions={item.follows.slice(0, 10)}
               />
             </View>
diff --git a/src/view/com/util/PostMeta.tsx b/src/view/com/util/PostMeta.tsx
index cebab59c00..5202b81a59 100644
--- a/src/view/com/util/PostMeta.tsx
+++ b/src/view/com/util/PostMeta.tsx
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import {UserAvatar} from './UserAvatar'
 import {observer} from 'mobx-react-lite'
 import {FollowButton} from '../profile/FollowButton'
 import {FollowState} from 'state/models/cache/my-follows'
+import {sanitizeDisplayName} from 'lib/strings/display-names'
 
 interface PostMetaOpts {
   authorAvatar?: string
@@ -52,7 +53,7 @@ export const PostMeta = observer(function (opts: PostMetaOpts) {
               style={pal.text}
               numberOfLines={1}
               lineHeight={1.2}
-              text={displayName}
+              text={sanitizeDisplayName(displayName)}
               href={`/profile/${opts.authorHandle}`}
             />
             <Text type="md" style={pal.textLight} lineHeight={1.2}>
@@ -103,7 +104,7 @@ export const PostMeta = observer(function (opts: PostMetaOpts) {
           lineHeight={1.2}
           text={
             <>
-              {displayName}
+              {sanitizeDisplayName(displayName)}
               <Text type="md" style={[pal.textLight]}>
                 &nbsp;{handle}
               </Text>
diff --git a/src/view/com/util/UserInfoText.tsx b/src/view/com/util/UserInfoText.tsx
index 4753c9b01d..b8f6e082e7 100644
--- a/src/view/com/util/UserInfoText.tsx
+++ b/src/view/com/util/UserInfoText.tsx
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import {Text} from './text/Text'
 import {LoadingPlaceholder} from './LoadingPlaceholder'
 import {useStores} from 'state/index'
 import {TypographyVariant} from 'lib/ThemeContext'
+import {sanitizeDisplayName} from 'lib/strings/display-names'
 
 export function UserInfoText({
   type = 'md',
@@ -68,7 +69,9 @@ export function UserInfoText({
         lineHeight={1.2}
         numberOfLines={1}
         href={`/profile/${profile.handle}`}
-        text={`${prefix || ''}${profile[attr] || profile.handle}`}
+        text={`${prefix || ''}${sanitizeDisplayName(
+          profile[attr] || profile.handle,
+        )}`}
       />
     )
   } else {