diff --git a/requirements-dev.txt b/requirements-dev.txt
index c2cc4ff7..c2102062 100644
--- a/requirements-dev.txt
+++ b/requirements-dev.txt
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ mock==4.0.3
 nose2[coverage_plugin]==0.10.0
 cov-core==1.15.0
 pycodestyle==2.7.0
-pylint==2.9.6
+pylint==2.10.2
 splinter==0.15.0
 transifex-client==0.14.3
 selenium==3.141.0
diff --git a/searx/engines/google_images.py b/searx/engines/google_images.py
index eb71e4a6..8c204b29 100644
--- a/searx/engines/google_images.py
+++ b/searx/engines/google_images.py
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ filter_mapping = {
 def scrap_out_thumbs(dom):
     """Scrap out thumbnail data from <script> tags.
     """
-    ret_val = dict()
+    ret_val = {}
     for script in eval_xpath(dom, '//script[contains(., "_setImgSrc(")]'):
         _script = script.text
         # _setImgSrc('0','data:image\/jpeg;base64,\/9j\/4AAQSkZJR ....');
diff --git a/searx/engines/google_videos.py b/searx/engines/google_videos.py
index 393fc046..40c7f2b9 100644
--- a/searx/engines/google_videos.py
+++ b/searx/engines/google_videos.py
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ def _re(regexpr):
 def scrap_out_thumbs(dom):
     """Scrap out thumbnail data from <script> tags.
     """
-    ret_val = dict()
+    ret_val = {}
     thumb_name = 'vidthumb'
 
     for script in eval_xpath_list(dom, '//script[contains(., "_setImagesSrc")]'):
diff --git a/searx/engines/meilisearch.py b/searx/engines/meilisearch.py
index 4e0ff15f..59e7fbf9 100644
--- a/searx/engines/meilisearch.py
+++ b/searx/engines/meilisearch.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ from json import loads, dumps
 base_url = 'http://localhost:7700'
 index = ''
 auth_key = ''
-facet_filters = list()
+facet_filters = []
 _search_url = ''
 result_template = 'key-value.html'
 categories = ['general']
diff --git a/searx/preferences.py b/searx/preferences.py
index 21b053c0..ea836dc2 100644
--- a/searx/preferences.py
+++ b/searx/preferences.py
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ class EnginesSetting(SwitchableSetting):
         transformed_choices = []
         for engine_name, engine in self.choices.items():  # pylint: disable=no-member,access-member-before-definition
             for category in engine.categories:
-                transformed_choice = dict()
+                transformed_choice = {}
                 transformed_choice['default_on'] = not engine.disabled
                 transformed_choice['id'] = '{}__{}'.format(engine_name, category)
                 transformed_choices.append(transformed_choice)
@@ -294,7 +294,7 @@ class EnginesSetting(SwitchableSetting):
 
     def transform_values(self, values):
         if len(values) == 1 and next(iter(values)) == '':
-            return list()
+            return []
         transformed_values = []
         for value in values:
             engine, category = value.split('__')
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ class PluginsSetting(SwitchableSetting):
         super()._post_init()
         transformed_choices = []
         for plugin in self.choices:  # pylint: disable=access-member-before-definition
-            transformed_choice = dict()
+            transformed_choice = {}
             transformed_choice['default_on'] = plugin.default_on
             transformed_choice['id'] = plugin.id
             transformed_choices.append(transformed_choice)
diff --git a/searx_extra/update/update_external_bangs.py b/searx_extra/update/update_external_bangs.py
index e401e460..cf5f93dc 100755
--- a/searx_extra/update/update_external_bangs.py
+++ b/searx_extra/update/update_external_bangs.py
@@ -153,5 +153,5 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
         'version': bangs_version,
         'trie': parse_ddg_bangs(fetch_ddg_bangs(bangs_url))
     }
-    with open(get_bangs_filename(), 'w') as fp:
+    with open(get_bangs_filename(), 'w', encoding='utf-8') as fp:
         json.dump(output, fp, ensure_ascii=False, indent=4)
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_utils.py b/tests/unit/test_utils.py
index 2c244966..91ec2499 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_utils.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_utils.py
@@ -114,9 +114,9 @@ class TestUtils(SearxTestCase):
     def test_ecma_unscape(self):
         self.assertEqual(utils.ecma_unescape('text%20with%20space'), 'text with space')
         self.assertEqual(utils.ecma_unescape('text using %xx: %F3'),
-                         u'text using %xx: ó')
+                         'text using %xx: ó')
         self.assertEqual(utils.ecma_unescape('text using %u: %u5409, %u4E16%u754c'),
-                         u'text using %u: 吉, 世界')
+                         'text using %u: 吉, 世界')
 
 
 class TestHTMLTextExtractor(SearxTestCase):