diff --git a/src/kick.go b/src/kick.go
index 7b02c71..18fae8f 100644
--- a/src/kick.go
+++ b/src/kick.go
@@ -119,14 +119,14 @@ func kk_process_message(rawmsg map[string]interface{}) {
 
       /* process username color preference */
       if _, ok := metadata["color"]; ok && len(metadata["color"].(string)) > 0 {
-        out_message.Type += "-color" + metadata["color"].(string)
+        out_message.Type += "^color" + metadata["color"].(string)
       }
 
       /* process username badges */
       if _, ok := metadata["badges"]; ok && len(metadata["badges"].([]interface{})) > 0 {
         for _, badge := range metadata["badges"].([]interface{}) {
           if badge.(map[string]interface{})["active"].(bool) {
-            out_message.Type += "-" + strings.ToLower(badge.(map[string]interface{})["text"].(string))
+            out_message.Type += "^" + strings.ToLower(badge.(map[string]interface{})["text"].(string))
           }
         }
       }
diff --git a/src/owncast.go b/src/owncast.go
index e688d3c..a389d31 100644
--- a/src/owncast.go
+++ b/src/owncast.go
@@ -74,7 +74,6 @@ func oc_process_message(rawmsg map[string]interface{}) {
         author["displayName"] = "System"
       }
 
-
       /* convert the timestamp */
       sent_dt, _ := time.Parse("2006-01-02T15:04:05.000000000Z", rawmsg["timestamp"].(string))
 
@@ -93,19 +92,19 @@ func oc_process_message(rawmsg map[string]interface{}) {
 
       /* check for authenticated role */
       if _, ok := author["authenticated"]; ok && author["authenticated"].(bool) == true {
-        out_message.Type += "-authenticated"
+        out_message.Type += "^authenticated"
       }
 
       /* check for bot role */
       if _, ok := author["isBot"]; ok && author["isBot"].(bool) == true {
-        out_message.Type += "-bot"
+        out_message.Type += "^bot"
       }
 
       /* add display color hint */
       if _, ok := author["displayColor"]; ok {
         dcolor := int(author["displayColor"].(float64))
         if dcolor > 0 {
-          out_message.Type += fmt.Sprintf("-occolor%d", dcolor)
+          out_message.Type += fmt.Sprintf("^occolor%d", dcolor)
         }
       }
 
diff --git a/src/twitch.go b/src/twitch.go
index 42105cc..33b155a 100644
--- a/src/twitch.go
+++ b/src/twitch.go
@@ -197,19 +197,21 @@ func tw_process_message(rawmsg string) {
       if len(badges) > 0 { /* process badge names */
         for _, badge := range badges { /* extract the badge name and version */
           bname, bver, _ := strings.Cut(badge, "/")
-          out_message.Type += "-" + bname + "-badgetw" + bname + "_" + bver
+          if len(bname) > 0 {
+            out_message.Type += "^" + bname + "^badgetw" + bname + "_" + bver
+          }
         }
       }
     }
 
     /* process username color preference */
     if _, ok := metadata["color"]; ok && len(metadata["color"]) > 0 {
-      out_message.Type += "-color" + metadata["color"]
+      out_message.Type += "^color" + metadata["color"]
     }
 
     /* process third-party action */
     if strings.HasPrefix(out_message.Text, "/me") {
-      out_message.Type += "-me"
+      out_message.Type += "^me"
       out_message.Text = strings.TrimSpace(out_message.Text[4:])
     }
 
diff --git a/src/youtube-innertube.go b/src/youtube-innertube.go
index 1784769..5bbdd75 100644
--- a/src/youtube-innertube.go
+++ b/src/youtube-innertube.go
@@ -137,20 +137,20 @@ func yt_inner_action_to_chatitem(action map[string]interface{}) ChatMessage {
       if _, ok := badge["customThumbnail"]; !ok { /* custom badges not supported yet */
         switch badge["icon"].(map[string]interface{})["iconType"].(string) {
           case "OWNER":
-            out_message.Type += "-broadcaster"
+            out_message.Type += "^broadcaster"
             break
           case "MODERATOR":
-            out_message.Type += "-moderator"
+            out_message.Type += "^moderator"
             break
           case "VERIFIED":
-            out_message.Type += "-verified"
+            out_message.Type += "^verified"
             break
         }
       }
     }
   }
   if _, ok := renderer["purchaseAmountText"]; ok {
-    out_message.Type += "-sponsor"
+    out_message.Type += "^sponsor"
   }
   
   return out_message
diff --git a/webroot/script.js b/webroot/script.js
index 724e87e..d70679c 100644
--- a/webroot/script.js
+++ b/webroot/script.js
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ function overrideStyles(text) {
 function gooseAppendMessage(id, type, timestamp, username, text, icon) {
   var html = ""
   if(parseInt(id) > 0 && type.length > 0) {
-    var classes = type.split('-'), cl = classes.length, j,
+    var classes = type.split('^'), cl = classes.length, j,
         colorpref = null, badges = [], platform, bname
     for(j=0;j<cl;j++) { /* detect color preference */
       if(classes[j].startsWith('color'))
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ function gooseAppendMessage(id, type, timestamp, username, text, icon) {
     html += '<span class=icon>'
     for(j=0,cl=badges.length;j<cl;j++) { /* iterate over badges */
       platform = badges[j].slice(0,2) /* first 2 characters denote the platform */
-      bname = badges[j].slice(2) /* thre rest is the badge name itself */
+      bname = badges[j].slice(2) /* the rest is the badge name itself */
       html += '<img class=badge src="/badge/{platform}/{badgename}">'
               .replace('{platform}', platform).replace('{badgename}', bname)
     }
diff --git a/webroot/style.css b/webroot/style.css
index 45c634c..39cf8ac 100644
--- a/webroot/style.css
+++ b/webroot/style.css
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ html, body {
 
 #msglist > div .icon img { /* userpic */
   max-height: 16px;
-  padding: 0 3px;
+  padding: 0 1px;
   margin-top: -20px;
   position: relative;
   top: 3px;
@@ -45,11 +45,7 @@ html, body {
 .username {
   display: inline;
   font-weight: 600;
-  margin-left: 5px;
-}
-
-.icon ~ .username { /* don't apply margin if there's an icon */
-  margin-left: 0;
+  margin-left: 1px;
 }
 
 #msglist > div:not(.me) .username:after{content:":"}