diff --git a/functions/src/create-user.ts b/functions/src/create-user.ts
index 216a7eb4..fe8b7d77 100644
--- a/functions/src/create-user.ts
+++ b/functions/src/create-user.ts
@@ -144,24 +144,5 @@ const addUserToDefaultGroups = async (user: User) => {
       .update({
         memberIds: uniq(group.memberIds.concat(user.id)),
       })
-    const manifoldAccount = isProd()
-      ? HOUSE_LIQUIDITY_PROVIDER_ID
-      : DEV_HOUSE_LIQUIDITY_PROVIDER_ID
-
-    if (slug === 'welcome') {
-      const welcomeCommentDoc = firestore
-        .collection(`groups/${group.id}/comments`)
-        .doc()
-      await welcomeCommentDoc.create({
-        id: welcomeCommentDoc.id,
-        groupId: group.id,
-        userId: manifoldAccount,
-        text: `Welcome, @${user.username} aka ${user.name}!`,
-        createdTime: Date.now(),
-        userName: 'Manifold Markets',
-        userUsername: MANIFOLD_USERNAME,
-        userAvatarUrl: MANIFOLD_AVATAR_URL,
-      })
-    }
   }
 }
diff --git a/web/components/nav/sidebar.tsx b/web/components/nav/sidebar.tsx
index 056ab78a..e982cb0e 100644
--- a/web/components/nav/sidebar.tsx
+++ b/web/components/nav/sidebar.tsx
@@ -18,15 +18,14 @@ import { ManifoldLogo } from './manifold-logo'
 import { MenuButton } from './menu'
 import { ProfileSummary } from './profile-menu'
 import NotificationsIcon from 'web/components/notifications-icon'
-import React, { useMemo, useState } from 'react'
+import React, { useState } from 'react'
 import { IS_PRIVATE_MANIFOLD } from 'common/envs/constants'
 import { CreateQuestionButton } from 'web/components/create-question-button'
 import { useMemberGroups } from 'web/hooks/use-group'
 import { groupPath } from 'web/lib/firebase/groups'
 import { trackCallback, withTracking } from 'web/lib/service/analytics'
-import { Group, GROUP_CHAT_SLUG } from 'common/group'
+import { Group } from 'common/group'
 import { Spacer } from '../layout/spacer'
-import { useUnseenPreferredNotifications } from 'web/hooks/use-notifications'
 import { PrivateUser } from 'common/user'
 import { useWindowSize } from 'web/hooks/use-window-size'
 import { CHALLENGES_ENABLED } from 'common/challenge'
@@ -313,29 +312,29 @@ function GroupsList(props: {
   memberItems: Item[]
   privateUser: PrivateUser
 }) {
-  const { currentPage, memberItems, privateUser } = props
-  const preferredNotifications = useUnseenPreferredNotifications(
-    privateUser,
-    {
-      customHref: '/group/',
-    },
-    memberItems.length > 0 ? memberItems.length : undefined
-  )
+  const { currentPage, memberItems } = props
 
   const { height } = useWindowSize()
   const [containerRef, setContainerRef] = useState<HTMLDivElement | null>(null)
   const remainingHeight = (height ?? 0) - (containerRef?.offsetTop ?? 0)
 
-  const notifIsForThisItem = useMemo(
-    () => (itemHref: string) =>
-      preferredNotifications.some(
-        (n) =>
-          !n.isSeen &&
-          (n.isSeenOnHref === itemHref ||
-            n.isSeenOnHref?.replace('/chat', '') === itemHref)
-      ),
-    [preferredNotifications]
-  )
+  // const preferredNotifications = useUnseenPreferredNotifications(
+  //   privateUser,
+  //   {
+  //     customHref: '/group/',
+  //   },
+  //   memberItems.length > 0 ? memberItems.length : undefined
+  // )
+  // const notifIsForThisItem = useMemo(
+  //   () => (itemHref: string) =>
+  //     preferredNotifications.some(
+  //       (n) =>
+  //         !n.isSeen &&
+  //         (n.isSeenOnHref === itemHref ||
+  //           n.isSeenOnHref?.replace('/chat', '') === itemHref)
+  //     ),
+  //   [preferredNotifications]
+  // )
 
   return (
     <>
@@ -351,16 +350,12 @@ function GroupsList(props: {
       >
         {memberItems.map((item) => (
           <a
-            href={
-              item.href +
-              (notifIsForThisItem(item.href) ? '/' + GROUP_CHAT_SLUG : '')
-            }
+            href={item.href}
             key={item.name}
             onClick={trackCallback('sidebar: ' + item.name)}
             className={clsx(
               'cursor-pointer truncate',
-              'group flex items-center rounded-md px-3 py-2 text-sm font-medium text-gray-600 hover:bg-gray-100 hover:text-gray-900',
-              notifIsForThisItem(item.href) && 'font-bold'
+              'group flex items-center rounded-md px-3 py-2 text-sm font-medium text-gray-600 hover:bg-gray-100 hover:text-gray-900'
             )}
           >
             {item.name}
diff --git a/web/pages/group/[...slugs]/index.tsx b/web/pages/group/[...slugs]/index.tsx
index 8926d0ab..6ce3e7c3 100644
--- a/web/pages/group/[...slugs]/index.tsx
+++ b/web/pages/group/[...slugs]/index.tsx
@@ -33,11 +33,9 @@ import { LoadingIndicator } from 'web/components/loading-indicator'
 import { Modal } from 'web/components/layout/modal'
 import { ChoicesToggleGroup } from 'web/components/choices-toggle-group'
 import { toast } from 'react-hot-toast'
-import { useCommentsOnGroup } from 'web/hooks/use-comments'
 import { ContractSearch } from 'web/components/contract-search'
 import { FollowList } from 'web/components/follow-list'
 import { SearchIcon } from '@heroicons/react/outline'
-import { useTipTxns } from 'web/hooks/use-tip-txns'
 import { JoinOrLeaveGroupButton } from 'web/components/groups/groups-button'
 import { searchInAny } from 'common/util/parse'
 import { CopyLinkButton } from 'web/components/copy-link-button'
@@ -46,7 +44,6 @@ import { useSaveReferral } from 'web/hooks/use-save-referral'
 import { Button } from 'web/components/button'
 import { listAllCommentsOnGroup } from 'web/lib/firebase/comments'
 import { GroupComment } from 'common/comment'
-import { GroupChat } from 'web/components/groups/group-chat'
 import { REFERRAL_AMOUNT } from 'common/economy'
 
 export const getStaticProps = fromPropz(getStaticPropz)
@@ -149,9 +146,6 @@ export default function GroupPage(props: {
   const page = slugs?.[1] as typeof groupSubpages[number]
 
   const group = useGroup(props.group?.id) ?? props.group
-  const tips = useTipTxns({ groupId: group?.id })
-
-  const messages = useCommentsOnGroup(group?.id) ?? props.messages
 
   const user = useUser()
 
@@ -201,21 +195,12 @@ export default function GroupPage(props: {
     />
   )
 
-  const chatTab = (
-    <GroupChat messages={messages} group={group} user={user} tips={tips} />
-  )
-
   const tabs = [
     {
       title: 'Markets',
       content: questionsTab,
       href: groupPath(group.slug, 'markets'),
     },
-    {
-      title: 'Chat',
-      content: chatTab,
-      href: groupPath(group.slug, 'chat'),
-    },
     {
       title: 'Leaderboards',
       content: leaderboard,