diff --git a/app/assets/stylesheets/osem.css.scss b/app/assets/stylesheets/osem.css.scss
index d2a2cd10..bc8b6388 100644
--- a/app/assets/stylesheets/osem.css.scss
+++ b/app/assets/stylesheets/osem.css.scss
@@ -89,4 +89,4 @@ p.comment-body {
 
 .changeset{
   display: none;
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/helpers/application_helper.rb b/app/helpers/application_helper.rb
index c32666c3..20c8eadb 100644
--- a/app/helpers/application_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/application_helper.rb
@@ -295,12 +295,12 @@ module ApplicationHelper
       space_after_headers: true,
       no_intra_emphasis: true
     }
-    markdown = Redcarpet::Markdown.new(Redcarpet::Render::HTML.new(escape_html: false), options)
+    markdown = Redcarpet::Markdown.new(Redcarpet::Render::HTML.new(escape_html: true), options)
     markdown.render(text).html_safe
   end
 
   def markdown_hint(text='')
-    markdown("#{text} Please look at #{link_to '**Markdown Syntax**', 'https://daringfireball.net/projects/markdown/syntax', target: '_blank'} to format your text")
+    markdown("#{text}\n\nPlease look at [**Markdown Syntax**](https://daringfireball.net/projects/markdown/syntax) to format your text")
   end
 
   def omniauth_configured
diff --git a/app/views/proposals/_proposal_form.html.haml b/app/views/proposals/_proposal_form.html.haml
index d4366ebb..8551ad1b 100644
--- a/app/views/proposals/_proposal_form.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/proposals/_proposal_form.html.haml
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
         = difficulty_level.description
 
     = f.input :abstract, required: true, input_html: { rows: 5, data: { provide: 'markdown-editable' } },
-      hint: markdown_hint(link_to('Tips to improve your presentations.', 'http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/5975/10-Rules-to-Instantly-Improve-Your-Presentations.aspx'))
+      hint: markdown_hint('[Tips to improve your presentations.](http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/5975/10-Rules-to-Instantly-Improve-Your-Presentations.aspx)')
 
     %p
       You have used
diff --git a/app/views/proposals/new.html.haml b/app/views/proposals/new.html.haml
index b279b0b8..25a78786 100644
--- a/app/views/proposals/new.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/proposals/new.html.haml
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
                   = event_type.description
 
               = f.input :abstract, required: true, input_html: { rows: 5, data: { provide: 'markdown-editable' } },
-                hint: markdown_hint(link_to('Tips to improve your presentations.', 'http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/5975/10-Rules-to-Instantly-Improve-Your-Presentations.aspx'))
+                hint: markdown_hint('[Tips to improve your presentations.](http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/5975/10-Rules-to-Instantly-Improve-Your-Presentations.aspx)')
 
               %p
                 You have used