diff --git a/server/channels/app/import_functions_test.go b/server/channels/app/import_functions_test.go
index 94700fa38c..7a7324f5e2 100644
--- a/server/channels/app/import_functions_test.go
+++ b/server/channels/app/import_functions_test.go
@@ -3350,7 +3350,7 @@ func TestImportImportDirectChannel(t *testing.T) {
 		dataset := generateDataset(imports.DirectChannelImportData{
 			Participants: []*imports.DirectChannelMemberImportData{
 				{
-					Username: model.NewString(model.NewId()),
+					Username: model.NewPointer(model.NewId()),
 				},
 			},
 			Header: ptrStr("Channel Header"),
@@ -3371,10 +3371,10 @@ func TestImportImportDirectChannel(t *testing.T) {
 		dataset := generateDataset(imports.DirectChannelImportData{
 			Participants: []*imports.DirectChannelMemberImportData{
 				{
-					Username: model.NewString(model.NewId()),
+					Username: model.NewPointer(model.NewId()),
 				},
 				{
-					Username: model.NewString(model.NewId()),
+					Username: model.NewPointer(model.NewId()),
 				},
 			},
 		})
@@ -3394,13 +3394,13 @@ func TestImportImportDirectChannel(t *testing.T) {
 		dataset := generateDataset(imports.DirectChannelImportData{
 			Participants: []*imports.DirectChannelMemberImportData{
 				{
-					Username: model.NewString(model.NewId()),
+					Username: model.NewPointer(model.NewId()),
 				},
 				{
-					Username: model.NewString(model.NewId()),
+					Username: model.NewPointer(model.NewId()),
 				},
 				{
-					Username: model.NewString(model.NewId()),
+					Username: model.NewPointer(model.NewId()),
 				},
 			},
 		})
@@ -3420,7 +3420,7 @@ func TestImportImportDirectChannel(t *testing.T) {
 		dataset := generateDataset(imports.DirectChannelImportData{
 			Participants: []*imports.DirectChannelMemberImportData{
 				{
-					Username: model.NewString(model.NewId()),
+					Username: model.NewPointer(model.NewId()),
 				},
 			},
 		})
@@ -3440,10 +3440,10 @@ func TestImportImportDirectChannel(t *testing.T) {
 		dataset := generateDataset(imports.DirectChannelImportData{
 			Participants: []*imports.DirectChannelMemberImportData{
 				{
-					Username: model.NewString(th.BasicUser.Username),
+					Username: model.NewPointer(th.BasicUser.Username),
 				},
 				{
-					Username: model.NewString(th.BasicUser2.Username),
+					Username: model.NewPointer(th.BasicUser2.Username),
 				},
 			},
 		})
@@ -3485,16 +3485,16 @@ func TestImportImportDirectChannel(t *testing.T) {
 		dataset := generateDataset(imports.DirectChannelImportData{
 			Participants: []*imports.DirectChannelMemberImportData{
 				{
-					Username: model.NewString(th.BasicUser.Username),
+					Username: model.NewPointer(th.BasicUser.Username),
 				},
 				{
-					Username: model.NewString(th.BasicUser2.Username),
+					Username: model.NewPointer(th.BasicUser2.Username),
 				},
 				{
-					Username: model.NewString(user3.Username),
+					Username: model.NewPointer(user3.Username),
 				},
 				{
-					Username: model.NewString(model.NewId()),
+					Username: model.NewPointer(model.NewId()),
 				},
 			},
 		})
@@ -3514,13 +3514,13 @@ func TestImportImportDirectChannel(t *testing.T) {
 		dataset := generateDataset(imports.DirectChannelImportData{
 			Participants: []*imports.DirectChannelMemberImportData{
 				{
-					Username: model.NewString(th.BasicUser.Username),
+					Username: model.NewPointer(th.BasicUser.Username),
 				},
 				{
-					Username: model.NewString(th.BasicUser2.Username),
+					Username: model.NewPointer(th.BasicUser2.Username),
 				},
 				{
-					Username: model.NewString(user3.Username),
+					Username: model.NewPointer(user3.Username),
 				},
 			},
 		})
@@ -3567,10 +3567,10 @@ func TestImportImportDirectChannel(t *testing.T) {
 		dataset := generateDataset(imports.DirectChannelImportData{
 			Participants: []*imports.DirectChannelMemberImportData{
 				{
-					Username: model.NewString(th.BasicUser.Username),
+					Username: model.NewPointer(th.BasicUser.Username),
 				},
 				{
-					Username: model.NewString(th.BasicUser2.Username),
+					Username: model.NewPointer(th.BasicUser2.Username),
 				},
 			},
 		})
@@ -3596,11 +3596,11 @@ func TestImportImportDirectChannel(t *testing.T) {
 		data := imports.DirectChannelImportData{
 			Participants: []*imports.DirectChannelMemberImportData{
 				{
-					Username:     model.NewString(th.BasicUser.Username),
+					Username:     model.NewPointer(th.BasicUser.Username),
 					LastViewedAt: ptrInt64(lastView),
 				},
 				{
-					Username: model.NewString(th.BasicUser2.Username),
+					Username: model.NewPointer(th.BasicUser2.Username),
 				},
 			},
 		}
@@ -3626,10 +3626,10 @@ func TestImportImportDirectChannel(t *testing.T) {
 		data := imports.DirectChannelImportData{
 			Participants: []*imports.DirectChannelMemberImportData{
 				{
-					Username: model.NewString(th.BasicUser.Username),
+					Username: model.NewPointer(th.BasicUser.Username),
 				},
 				{
-					Username: model.NewString(th.BasicUser2.Username),
+					Username: model.NewPointer(th.BasicUser2.Username),
 				},
 			},
 			ShownBy: &[]string{
@@ -3658,13 +3658,13 @@ func TestImportImportDirectChannel(t *testing.T) {
 		data := imports.DirectChannelImportData{
 			Participants: []*imports.DirectChannelMemberImportData{
 				{
-					Username: model.NewString(th.BasicUser.Username),
+					Username: model.NewPointer(th.BasicUser.Username),
 				},
 				{
-					Username: model.NewString(th.BasicUser2.Username),
+					Username: model.NewPointer(th.BasicUser2.Username),
 				},
 				{
-					Username: model.NewString(user3.Username),
+					Username: model.NewPointer(user3.Username),
 				},
 			},
 			ShownBy: &[]string{
@@ -3698,10 +3698,10 @@ func TestImportImportDirectPost(t *testing.T) {
 	channelData := imports.DirectChannelImportData{
 		Participants: []*imports.DirectChannelMemberImportData{
 			{
-				Username: model.NewString(th.BasicUser.Username),
+				Username: model.NewPointer(th.BasicUser.Username),
 			},
 			{
-				Username: model.NewString(th.BasicUser2.Username),
+				Username: model.NewPointer(th.BasicUser2.Username),
 			},
 		},
 	}
@@ -4161,13 +4161,13 @@ func TestImportImportDirectPost(t *testing.T) {
 	channelData = imports.DirectChannelImportData{
 		Participants: []*imports.DirectChannelMemberImportData{
 			{
-				Username: model.NewString(th.BasicUser.Username),
+				Username: model.NewPointer(th.BasicUser.Username),
 			},
 			{
-				Username: model.NewString(th.BasicUser2.Username),
+				Username: model.NewPointer(th.BasicUser2.Username),
 			},
 			{
-				Username: model.NewString(user3.Username),
+				Username: model.NewPointer(user3.Username),
 			},
 		},
 	}
diff --git a/server/cmd/mmctl/commands/sampledata_util.go b/server/cmd/mmctl/commands/sampledata_util.go
index 04f841c590..8d3714e31e 100644
--- a/server/cmd/mmctl/commands/sampledata_util.go
+++ b/server/cmd/mmctl/commands/sampledata_util.go
@@ -398,7 +398,7 @@ func createDirectChannel(members []string) imports.LineImportData {
 
 	for _, m := range members {
 		p = append(p, &imports.DirectChannelMemberImportData{
-			Username: model.NewString(m),
+			Username: model.NewPointer(m),
 		})
 	}
 
diff --git a/server/public/model/builtin.go b/server/public/model/builtin.go
index a1ceed7f0b..e5afb07388 100644
--- a/server/public/model/builtin.go
+++ b/server/public/model/builtin.go
@@ -3,12 +3,6 @@
 
 package model
 
-// These functions are deprecated. Please use only NewPointer.
-func NewBool(b bool) *bool       { return &b }
-func NewInt(n int) *int          { return &n }
-func NewInt64(n int64) *int64    { return &n }
-func NewString(s string) *string { return &s }
-
 // NewPointer returns a pointer to the object passed.
 func NewPointer[T any](t T) *T { return &t }
 
diff --git a/server/public/model/config.go b/server/public/model/config.go
index 65fe958ab1..b0d7879503 100644
--- a/server/public/model/config.go
+++ b/server/public/model/config.go
@@ -808,7 +808,7 @@ func (s *ServiceSettings) SetDefaults(isUpdate bool) {
 	}
 
 	if s.EnableAPIPostDeletion == nil {
-		s.EnableAPIPostDeletion = NewBool(false)
+		s.EnableAPIPostDeletion = NewPointer(false)
 	}
 
 	if s.EnableAPIChannelDeletion == nil {
@@ -1141,7 +1141,7 @@ func (s *ExperimentalSettings) SetDefaults() {
 	}
 
 	if s.YoutubeReferrerPolicy == nil {
-		s.YoutubeReferrerPolicy = NewBool(false)
+		s.YoutubeReferrerPolicy = NewPointer(false)
 	}
 }