diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
deleted file mode 100644
index 2e5cb5edf..000000000
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,118 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "name": "owncast",
-  "lockfileVersion": 2,
-  "requires": true,
-  "packages": {
-    "": {
-      "dependencies": {
-        "fetch-retry": "^5.0.2",
-        "isomorphic-fetch": "^3.0.0"
-      }
-    },
-    "node_modules/fetch-retry": {
-      "version": "5.0.2",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/fetch-retry/-/fetch-retry-5.0.2.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-57Hmu+1kc6pKFUGVIobT7qw3NeAzY/uNN26bSevERLVvf6VGFR/ooDCOFBHMNDgAxBiU2YJq1D0vFzc6U1DcPw=="
-    },
-    "node_modules/isomorphic-fetch": {
-      "version": "3.0.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/isomorphic-fetch/-/isomorphic-fetch-3.0.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-qvUtwJ3j6qwsF3jLxkZ72qCgjMysPzDfeV240JHiGZsANBYd+EEuu35v7dfrJ9Up0Ak07D7GGSkGhCHTqg/5wA==",
-      "dependencies": {
-        "node-fetch": "^2.6.1",
-        "whatwg-fetch": "^3.4.1"
-      }
-    },
-    "node_modules/node-fetch": {
-      "version": "2.6.7",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/node-fetch/-/node-fetch-2.6.7.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-ZjMPFEfVx5j+y2yF35Kzx5sF7kDzxuDj6ziH4FFbOp87zKDZNx8yExJIb05OGF4Nlt9IHFIMBkRl41VdvcNdbQ==",
-      "dependencies": {
-        "whatwg-url": "^5.0.0"
-      },
-      "engines": {
-        "node": "4.x || >=6.0.0"
-      },
-      "peerDependencies": {
-        "encoding": "^0.1.0"
-      },
-      "peerDependenciesMeta": {
-        "encoding": {
-          "optional": true
-        }
-      }
-    },
-    "node_modules/tr46": {
-      "version": "0.0.3",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/tr46/-/tr46-0.0.3.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha1-gYT9NH2snNwYWZLzpmIuFLnZq2o="
-    },
-    "node_modules/webidl-conversions": {
-      "version": "3.0.1",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/webidl-conversions/-/webidl-conversions-3.0.1.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha1-JFNCdeKnvGvnvIZhHMFq4KVlSHE="
-    },
-    "node_modules/whatwg-fetch": {
-      "version": "3.6.2",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/whatwg-fetch/-/whatwg-fetch-3.6.2.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-bJlen0FcuU/0EMLrdbJ7zOnW6ITZLrZMIarMUVmdKtsGvZna8vxKYaexICWPfZ8qwf9fzNq+UEIZrnSaApt6RA=="
-    },
-    "node_modules/whatwg-url": {
-      "version": "5.0.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/whatwg-url/-/whatwg-url-5.0.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha1-lmRU6HZUYuN2RNNib2dCzotwll0=",
-      "dependencies": {
-        "tr46": "~0.0.3",
-        "webidl-conversions": "^3.0.0"
-      }
-    }
-  },
-  "dependencies": {
-    "fetch-retry": {
-      "version": "5.0.2",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/fetch-retry/-/fetch-retry-5.0.2.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-57Hmu+1kc6pKFUGVIobT7qw3NeAzY/uNN26bSevERLVvf6VGFR/ooDCOFBHMNDgAxBiU2YJq1D0vFzc6U1DcPw=="
-    },
-    "isomorphic-fetch": {
-      "version": "3.0.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/isomorphic-fetch/-/isomorphic-fetch-3.0.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-qvUtwJ3j6qwsF3jLxkZ72qCgjMysPzDfeV240JHiGZsANBYd+EEuu35v7dfrJ9Up0Ak07D7GGSkGhCHTqg/5wA==",
-      "requires": {
-        "node-fetch": "^2.6.1",
-        "whatwg-fetch": "^3.4.1"
-      }
-    },
-    "node-fetch": {
-      "version": "2.6.7",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/node-fetch/-/node-fetch-2.6.7.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-ZjMPFEfVx5j+y2yF35Kzx5sF7kDzxuDj6ziH4FFbOp87zKDZNx8yExJIb05OGF4Nlt9IHFIMBkRl41VdvcNdbQ==",
-      "requires": {
-        "whatwg-url": "^5.0.0"
-      }
-    },
-    "tr46": {
-      "version": "0.0.3",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/tr46/-/tr46-0.0.3.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha1-gYT9NH2snNwYWZLzpmIuFLnZq2o="
-    },
-    "webidl-conversions": {
-      "version": "3.0.1",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/webidl-conversions/-/webidl-conversions-3.0.1.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha1-JFNCdeKnvGvnvIZhHMFq4KVlSHE="
-    },
-    "whatwg-fetch": {
-      "version": "3.6.2",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/whatwg-fetch/-/whatwg-fetch-3.6.2.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-bJlen0FcuU/0EMLrdbJ7zOnW6ITZLrZMIarMUVmdKtsGvZna8vxKYaexICWPfZ8qwf9fzNq+UEIZrnSaApt6RA=="
-    },
-    "whatwg-url": {
-      "version": "5.0.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/whatwg-url/-/whatwg-url-5.0.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha1-lmRU6HZUYuN2RNNib2dCzotwll0=",
-      "requires": {
-        "tr46": "~0.0.3",
-        "webidl-conversions": "^3.0.0"
-      }
-    }
-  }
-}
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
deleted file mode 100644
index 65ae8e323..000000000
--- a/package.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "dependencies": {
-    "fetch-retry": "^5.0.2",
-    "isomorphic-fetch": "^3.0.0"
-  }
-}
diff --git a/web/components/chat/ChatContainer/ChatContainer.tsx b/web/components/chat/ChatContainer/ChatContainer.tsx
index 3b3ac565e..15585fbee 100644
--- a/web/components/chat/ChatContainer/ChatContainer.tsx
+++ b/web/components/chat/ChatContainer/ChatContainer.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { Spin } from 'antd';
 import { Virtuoso } from 'react-virtuoso';
-import { useRef } from 'react';
+import { useMemo, useRef } from 'react';
 import { LoadingOutlined } from '@ant-design/icons';
 
 import { MessageType, NameChangeEvent } from '../../../interfaces/socket-events';
@@ -12,10 +12,13 @@ import ChatActionMessage from '../ChatActionMessage';
 interface Props {
   messages: ChatMessage[];
   loading: boolean;
+  usernameToHighlight: string;
+  chatUserId: string;
+  isModerator: boolean;
 }
 
 export default function ChatContainer(props: Props) {
-  const { messages, loading } = props;
+  const { messages, loading, usernameToHighlight, chatUserId, isModerator } = props;
 
   const chatContainerRef = useRef(null);
   const spinIcon = <LoadingOutlined style={{ fontSize: '32px' }} spin />;
@@ -31,7 +34,14 @@ export default function ChatContainer(props: Props) {
   const getViewForMessage = message => {
     switch (message.type) {
       case MessageType.CHAT:
-        return <ChatUserMessage message={message} showModeratorMenu={false} />;
+        return (
+          <ChatUserMessage
+            message={message}
+            showModeratorMenu={isModerator} // Moderators have access to an additional menu
+            highlightString={usernameToHighlight} // What to highlight in the message
+            renderAsPersonallySent={message.user?.id === chatUserId} // The local user sent this message
+          />
+        );
       case MessageType.NAME_CHANGE:
         return getNameChangeViewForMessage(message);
       default:
@@ -39,12 +49,8 @@ export default function ChatContainer(props: Props) {
     }
   };
 
-  return (
-    <div>
-      <div className={s.chatHeader}>
-        <span>stream chat</span>
-      </div>
-      <Spin spinning={loading} indicator={spinIcon} />
+  const MessagesTable = useMemo(
+    () => (
       <Virtuoso
         style={{ height: '80vh' }}
         ref={chatContainerRef}
@@ -53,6 +59,18 @@ export default function ChatContainer(props: Props) {
         itemContent={(index, message) => getViewForMessage(message)}
         followOutput="smooth"
       />
+    ),
+    [messages, usernameToHighlight, chatUserId, isModerator],
+  );
+
+  return (
+    <div>
+      <div className={s.chatHeader}>
+        <span>stream chat</span>
+      </div>
+      <Spin spinning={loading} indicator={spinIcon}>
+        {MessagesTable}
+      </Spin>
     </div>
   );
 }
diff --git a/web/components/chat/ChatUserMessage/ChatUserMessage.module.scss b/web/components/chat/ChatUserMessage/ChatUserMessage.module.scss
index c411d4eca..d723172c3 100644
--- a/web/components/chat/ChatUserMessage/ChatUserMessage.module.scss
+++ b/web/components/chat/ChatUserMessage/ChatUserMessage.module.scss
@@ -12,5 +12,20 @@
   }
   .message {
     color: var(--color-owncast-grey-100);
+
+    mark {
+      color: white;
+      padding: 0.1em 0.4em;
+      border-radius: 0.5em 0.3em;
+      background: transparent;
+      background-image: linear-gradient(
+        to right,
+        rgba(255, 225, 0, 0.1),
+        rgba(255, 225, 0, 0.358) 4%,
+        rgba(255, 225, 0, 0.3)
+      );
+      -webkit-box-decoration-break: clone;
+      box-decoration-break: clone;
+    }
   }
 }
diff --git a/web/components/chat/ChatUserMessage/ChatUserMessage.tsx b/web/components/chat/ChatUserMessage/ChatUserMessage.tsx
index 7d1e6c3e6..117e96680 100644
--- a/web/components/chat/ChatUserMessage/ChatUserMessage.tsx
+++ b/web/components/chat/ChatUserMessage/ChatUserMessage.tsx
@@ -1,15 +1,25 @@
 /* eslint-disable react/no-danger */
 import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
+import { Highlight } from 'react-highlighter-ts';
+import he from 'he';
 import { ChatMessage } from '../../../interfaces/chat-message.model';
-import { formatTimestamp, formatMessageText } from './messageFmt';
+import { formatTimestamp } from './messageFmt';
 import s from './ChatUserMessage.module.scss';
 
 interface Props {
   message: ChatMessage;
   showModeratorMenu: boolean;
+  highlightString: string;
+  renderAsPersonallySent: boolean;
 }
 
-export default function ChatUserMessage({ message, showModeratorMenu }: Props) {
+export default function ChatUserMessage({
+  message,
+  highlightString,
+  showModeratorMenu,
+  // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unused-vars
+  renderAsPersonallySent, // Move the border to the right and render a background
+}: Props) {
   const { body, user, timestamp } = message;
   const { displayName, displayColor } = user;
   const color = `hsl(${displayColor}, 100%, 70%)`;
@@ -17,7 +27,7 @@ export default function ChatUserMessage({ message, showModeratorMenu }: Props) {
   const [formattedMessage, setFormattedMessage] = useState<string>(body);
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    setFormattedMessage(formatMessageText(body));
+    setFormattedMessage(he.decode(body));
   }, [message]);
 
   return (
@@ -25,7 +35,9 @@ export default function ChatUserMessage({ message, showModeratorMenu }: Props) {
       <div className={s.user} style={{ color }}>
         {displayName}
       </div>
-      <div className={s.message} dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{ __html: formattedMessage }} />
+      <Highlight search={highlightString}>
+        <div className={s.message}>{formattedMessage}</div>
+      </Highlight>
       {showModeratorMenu && <div>Moderator menu</div>}
     </div>
   );
diff --git a/web/components/stores/ClientConfigStore.tsx b/web/components/stores/ClientConfigStore.tsx
index ccd1988af..bffe61893 100644
--- a/web/components/stores/ClientConfigStore.tsx
+++ b/web/components/stores/ClientConfigStore.tsx
@@ -47,6 +47,16 @@ export const chatDisplayNameAtom = atom<string>({
   default: null,
 });
 
+export const chatUserIdAtom = atom<string>({
+  key: 'chatUserIdAtom',
+  default: null,
+});
+
+export const isChatModeratorAtom = atom<boolean>({
+  key: 'isModeratorAtom',
+  default: false,
+});
+
 export const accessTokenAtom = atom<string>({
   key: 'accessTokenAtom',
   default: null,
@@ -135,6 +145,8 @@ export function ClientConfigStore() {
   const [appState, appStateSend, appStateService] = useMachine(appStateModel);
 
   const setChatDisplayName = useSetRecoilState<string>(chatDisplayNameAtom);
+  const setChatUserId = useSetRecoilState<string>(chatUserIdAtom);
+  const setIsChatModerator = useSetRecoilState<boolean>(isChatModeratorAtom);
   const setClientConfig = useSetRecoilState<ClientConfig>(clientConfigStateAtom);
   const setServerStatus = useSetRecoilState<ServerStatus>(serverStatusState);
   const setClockSkew = useSetRecoilState<Number>(clockSkewAtom);
@@ -236,7 +248,12 @@ export function ClientConfigStore() {
         resetAndReAuth();
         break;
       case MessageType.CONNECTED_USER_INFO:
-        handleConnectedClientInfoMessage(message as ConnectedClientInfoEvent, setChatDisplayName);
+        handleConnectedClientInfoMessage(
+          message as ConnectedClientInfoEvent,
+          setChatDisplayName,
+          setChatUserId,
+          setIsChatModerator,
+        );
         break;
       case MessageType.CHAT:
         handleChatMessage(message as ChatEvent, chatMessages, setChatMessages);
diff --git a/web/components/stores/eventhandlers/connected-client-info-handler.ts b/web/components/stores/eventhandlers/connected-client-info-handler.ts
index 9cce6719d..36ac64060 100644
--- a/web/components/stores/eventhandlers/connected-client-info-handler.ts
+++ b/web/components/stores/eventhandlers/connected-client-info-handler.ts
@@ -3,8 +3,12 @@ import { ConnectedClientInfoEvent } from '../../../interfaces/socket-events';
 export default function handleConnectedClientInfoMessage(
   message: ConnectedClientInfoEvent,
   setChatDisplayName: (string) => void,
+  setChatUserId: (number) => void,
+  setIsChatModerator: (boolean) => void,
 ) {
   const { user } = message;
-  const { displayName } = user;
+  const { id, displayName, scopes } = user;
   setChatDisplayName(displayName);
+  setChatUserId(id);
+  setIsChatModerator(scopes.includes('moderator'));
 }
diff --git a/web/components/ui/Content/Content.tsx b/web/components/ui/Content/Content.tsx
index 07be48316..e4905aacb 100644
--- a/web/components/ui/Content/Content.tsx
+++ b/web/components/ui/Content/Content.tsx
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ import { Layout, Tabs, Spin } from 'antd';
 import {
   clientConfigStateAtom,
   chatMessagesAtom,
+  chatDisplayNameAtom,
+  chatUserIdAtom,
   isChatVisibleSelector,
   serverStatusState,
   appStateAtom,
@@ -43,6 +45,8 @@ export default function ContentComponent() {
   const isChatVisible = useRecoilValue<boolean>(isChatVisibleSelector);
   const messages = useRecoilValue<ChatMessage[]>(chatMessagesAtom);
   const online = useRecoilValue<boolean>(isOnlineSelector);
+  const chatDisplayName = useRecoilValue<string>(chatDisplayNameAtom);
+  const chatUserId = useRecoilValue<string>(chatUserIdAtom);
 
   const { extraPageContent, version, socialHandles, name, title, tags, summary } = clientConfig;
   const { viewerCount, lastConnectTime, lastDisconnectTime } = status;
@@ -125,7 +129,13 @@ export default function ContentComponent() {
           </Tabs>
           {isChatVisible && (
             <div className={`${s.mobileChat}`}>
-              <ChatContainer messages={messages} loading={appState.chatLoading} />
+              <ChatContainer
+                messages={messages}
+                loading={appState.chatLoading}
+                usernameToHighlight={chatDisplayName}
+                chatUserId={chatUserId}
+                isModerator={false}
+              />
               <ChatTextField />
             </div>
           )}
diff --git a/web/components/ui/Sidebar/Sidebar.tsx b/web/components/ui/Sidebar/Sidebar.tsx
index 987712ab3..91ae27f74 100644
--- a/web/components/ui/Sidebar/Sidebar.tsx
+++ b/web/components/ui/Sidebar/Sidebar.tsx
@@ -4,16 +4,29 @@ import { ChatMessage } from '../../../interfaces/chat-message.model';
 import { ChatContainer, ChatTextField } from '../../chat';
 import s from './Sidebar.module.scss';
 
-import { chatMessagesAtom, appStateAtom } from '../../stores/ClientConfigStore';
+import {
+  chatMessagesAtom,
+  appStateAtom,
+  chatDisplayNameAtom,
+  chatUserIdAtom,
+} from '../../stores/ClientConfigStore';
 import { AppStateOptions } from '../../stores/application-state';
 
 export default function Sidebar() {
   const messages = useRecoilValue<ChatMessage[]>(chatMessagesAtom);
   const appState = useRecoilValue<AppStateOptions>(appStateAtom);
+  const chatDisplayName = useRecoilValue<string>(chatDisplayNameAtom);
+  const chatUserId = useRecoilValue<string>(chatUserIdAtom);
 
   return (
     <Sider className={s.root} collapsedWidth={0} width={320}>
-      <ChatContainer messages={messages} loading={appState.chatLoading} />
+      <ChatContainer
+        messages={messages}
+        loading={appState.chatLoading}
+        usernameToHighlight={chatDisplayName}
+        chatUserId={chatUserId}
+        isModerator={false}
+      />
       <ChatTextField />
     </Sider>
   );
diff --git a/web/package-lock.json b/web/package-lock.json
index c114156f9..a11a55eea 100644
--- a/web/package-lock.json
+++ b/web/package-lock.json
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
         "chartkick": "4.1.1",
         "classnames": "2.3.1",
         "date-fns": "2.28.0",
+        "he": "^1.2.0",
         "lodash": "4.17.21",
         "markdown-it": "12.3.2",
         "next": "^12.1.5",
@@ -34,6 +35,7 @@
         "react-contenteditable": "^3.3.6",
         "react-crossfade-img": "^1.0.0",
         "react-dom": "17.0.2",
+        "react-highlighter-ts": "^2.2.0",
         "react-hotkeys-hook": "^3.4.6",
         "react-linkify": "1.0.0-alpha",
         "react-markdown": "8.0.0",
@@ -27300,6 +27302,14 @@
         "react-dom": "^16.6.0 || ^17.0.0 || ^18.0.0"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/react-highlighter-ts": {
+      "version": "2.2.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/react-highlighter-ts/-/react-highlighter-ts-2.2.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-wZgYrOq6bO1O1szjyduvqeiuV1DuZbKb22FvbclXEhyG5rw9vFaJhdO420RwBvDkD4DvFnDLX4hFuAOg0aQkXA==",
+      "dependencies": {
+        "react": "^17.0.1"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/react-hotkeys-hook": {
       "version": "3.4.6",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/react-hotkeys-hook/-/react-hotkeys-hook-3.4.6.tgz",
@@ -53410,6 +53420,14 @@
         "shallowequal": "^1.1.0"
       }
     },
+    "react-highlighter-ts": {
+      "version": "2.2.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/react-highlighter-ts/-/react-highlighter-ts-2.2.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-wZgYrOq6bO1O1szjyduvqeiuV1DuZbKb22FvbclXEhyG5rw9vFaJhdO420RwBvDkD4DvFnDLX4hFuAOg0aQkXA==",
+      "requires": {
+        "react": "^17.0.1"
+      }
+    },
     "react-hotkeys-hook": {
       "version": "3.4.6",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/react-hotkeys-hook/-/react-hotkeys-hook-3.4.6.tgz",
diff --git a/web/package.json b/web/package.json
index 72ea18d1c..ac9bd74f4 100644
--- a/web/package.json
+++ b/web/package.json
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
     "chartkick": "4.1.1",
     "classnames": "2.3.1",
     "date-fns": "2.28.0",
+    "he": "^1.2.0",
     "lodash": "4.17.21",
     "markdown-it": "12.3.2",
     "next": "^12.1.5",
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@
     "react-contenteditable": "^3.3.6",
     "react-crossfade-img": "^1.0.0",
     "react-dom": "17.0.2",
+    "react-highlighter-ts": "^2.2.0",
     "react-hotkeys-hook": "^3.4.6",
     "react-linkify": "1.0.0-alpha",
     "react-markdown": "8.0.0",
diff --git a/web/stories/ChatContainer.stories.tsx b/web/stories/ChatContainer.stories.tsx
index 1a0942d7d..440fbb7ca 100644
--- a/web/stories/ChatContainer.stories.tsx
+++ b/web/stories/ChatContainer.stories.tsx
@@ -32,7 +32,13 @@ const AddMessagesChatExample = args => {
       <button type="button" onClick={() => setChatMessages([...chatMessages, chatMessages[0]])}>
         Add message
       </button>
-      <ChatContainer messages={chatMessages} loading={loading} />
+      <ChatContainer
+        messages={chatMessages}
+        loading={loading}
+        usernameToHighlight={null}
+        chatUserId={null}
+        isModerator={false}
+      />
     </div>
   );
 };
diff --git a/web/stories/ChatUserMessage.stories.tsx b/web/stories/ChatUserMessage.stories.tsx
index afd12a7a3..2b6e653bd 100644
--- a/web/stories/ChatUserMessage.stories.tsx
+++ b/web/stories/ChatUserMessage.stories.tsx
@@ -92,3 +92,10 @@ FromAuthenticatedUser.args = {
   message: authenticatedUserMessage,
   showModeratorMenu: false,
 };
+
+export const WithStringHighlighted = Template.bind({});
+WithStringHighlighted.args = {
+  message: standardMessage,
+  showModeratorMenu: false,
+  highlightString: 'message',
+};