diff --git a/include/conversation.php b/include/conversation.php
index e971798c9..43f0a445d 100644
--- a/include/conversation.php
+++ b/include/conversation.php
@@ -391,8 +391,8 @@ function visible_activity($item) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	/// @TODO such things are unneccessary code-complexibilities and should be avoided
-	if (activity_match($item['verb'], ACTIVITY_FOLLOW) && $item['object-type'] === ACTIVITY_OBJ_NOTE && !(x($item, 'self') && ($item['uid'] == local_user()))) {
+	// @TODO below if() block can be rewritten to a single line: $isVisible = allConditionsHere;
+	if (activity_match($item['verb'], ACTIVITY_FOLLOW) && $item['object-type'] === ACTIVITY_OBJ_NOTE && empty($item['self']) && $item['uid'] == local_user()) {
 		return false;
 	}
 
diff --git a/include/security.php b/include/security.php
index 5d563f324..bcfddf887 100644
--- a/include/security.php
+++ b/include/security.php
@@ -254,6 +254,7 @@ function can_write_wall($owner)
 	return false;
 }
 
+/// @TODO $groups should be array
 function permissions_sql($owner_id, $remote_verified = false, $groups = null)
 {
 	$local_user = local_user();
@@ -305,7 +306,7 @@ function permissions_sql($owner_id, $remote_verified = false, $groups = null)
 		if ($remote_verified) {
 			$gs = '<<>>'; // should be impossible to match
 
-			if (is_array($groups) && count($groups)) {
+			if (is_array($groups)) {
 				foreach ($groups as $g) {
 					$gs .= '|<' . intval($g) . '>';
 				}