diff --git a/bookwyrm/sanitize_html.py b/bookwyrm/sanitize_html.py
index 1a8540e32..0be64c58c 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/sanitize_html.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/sanitize_html.py
@@ -26,8 +26,6 @@ class InputHtmlParser(HTMLParser):  # pylint: disable=abstract-method
         self.output = []
         # if the html appears invalid, we just won't allow any at all
         self.allow_html = True
-        self.output.append(("data", "<style>.show-white-space{white-space:pre-wrap;}</style>"))
-        self.output.append(("data", "<span class=\"show-white-space\">"))
 
     def handle_starttag(self, tag, attrs):
         """check if the tag is valid"""
@@ -58,7 +56,6 @@ class InputHtmlParser(HTMLParser):  # pylint: disable=abstract-method
 
     def get_output(self):
         """convert the output from a list of tuples to a string"""
-        self.output.append(("data", "</span>"))
         if self.tag_stack:
             self.allow_html = False
         if not self.allow_html: