diff --git a/__tests__/date.test.ts b/__tests__/date.test.ts
index 4e29b7da..f113c9b9 100644
--- a/__tests__/date.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/date.test.ts
@@ -30,4 +30,16 @@ describe('Date utility', () => {
         .toBe('2023-12-02 16:38:36');
     });
   });
+  it('Empty string', () => {
+    const timestamp = '             ';
+    const offset = undefined;
+    expect(convertTimestampWithOffsetToPostgresString(
+      timestamp,
+      offset
+    ))
+      .toBe(convertTimestampWithOffsetToPostgresString(
+        new Date().toISOString(),
+        offset
+      ));
+  });
 });
diff --git a/__tests__/string.test.ts b/__tests__/string.test.ts
index e56dfc4e..bbd33603 100644
--- a/__tests__/string.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/string.test.ts
@@ -2,10 +2,12 @@ import { parameterize } from '@/utility/string';
 
 describe('String', () => {
   it('parameterizes', () => {
+    expect(parameterize('my-tag')).toBe('my-tag');
     expect(parameterize('my tag')).toBe('my-tag');
     expect(parameterize('My Tag')).toBe('my-tag');
     expect(parameterize('my_tag')).toBe('my-tag');
     expect(parameterize('person\'s tag')).toBe('persons-tag');
     expect(parameterize('"person\'s tag"')).toBe('persons-tag');
+    expect(parameterize('宿宿宿宿')).toBe('宿宿宿宿');
   });
 });
diff --git a/src/utility/date.ts b/src/utility/date.ts
index 9029c7b3..7e6159be 100644
--- a/src/utility/date.ts
+++ b/src/utility/date.ts
@@ -18,14 +18,16 @@ export const formatDateForPostgres = (date: Date) =>
     '$1-$2-$3 $4',
   );
 
-const dateFromTimestamp = (timestamp?: AmbiguousTimestamp): Date =>
-  typeof timestamp === 'number'
+const dateFromTimestamp = (timestamp?: AmbiguousTimestamp): Date => {
+  const date = typeof timestamp === 'number'
     ? new Date(timestamp * 1000)
-    : typeof timestamp === 'string' && timestamp.trim().length > 0
+    : typeof timestamp === 'string'
       ? /.+Z/i.test(timestamp)
         ? new Date(timestamp)
         : new Date(`${timestamp}Z`)
-      : new Date();
+      : undefined;
+  return date && !isNaN(date.getTime()) ? date : new Date();
+};
 
 const createNaiveDateWithOffset = (
   timestamp?: AmbiguousTimestamp,
diff --git a/src/utility/string.ts b/src/utility/string.ts
index 5c597cde..8bad0cd2 100644
--- a/src/utility/string.ts
+++ b/src/utility/string.ts
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ export const parameterize = (
     .trim()
     // Replaces spaces, underscores, and dashes with dashes
     .replaceAll(/[\s_–—]/gi, '-')
+    // Removes punctuation
+    .replaceAll(/['"!@#$%^&*()_+=[\]{};:/?,.<>\\|`~]/gi, '')
     // Removes all non-alphanumeric characters
     .replaceAll(
       shouldRemoveNonAlphanumeric