diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/PartialMemberCard.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/components/PartialMemberCard.svelte
index fc2b3e4..4f57712 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/components/PartialMemberCard.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/PartialMemberCard.svelte
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
   let pronouns: string | undefined;
 
   let mergedPreferences: CustomPreferences;
-  $: mergedPreferences = Object.assign(defaultPreferences, user.custom_preferences);
+  $: mergedPreferences = Object.assign({}, defaultPreferences, user.custom_preferences);
 
   const getPronouns = (member: PartialMember) => {
     const filteredPronouns = member.pronouns.filter(
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/StatusIcon.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/components/StatusIcon.svelte
index be4977c..824c894 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/components/StatusIcon.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/StatusIcon.svelte
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
   export let className: string | null = null;
 
   let mergedPreferences: CustomPreferences;
-  $: mergedPreferences = Object.assign(defaultPreferences, preferences);
+  $: mergedPreferences = Object.assign({}, defaultPreferences, preferences);
 
   let currentPreference: CustomPreference;
   $: currentPreference =
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/StatusLine.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/components/StatusLine.svelte
index 021326c..25e109b 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/components/StatusLine.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/StatusLine.svelte
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
   export let status: string;
 
   let mergedPreferences: CustomPreferences;
-  $: mergedPreferences = Object.assign(defaultPreferences, preferences);
+  $: mergedPreferences = Object.assign({}, defaultPreferences, preferences);
 
   let currentPreference: CustomPreference;
   $: currentPreference =
diff --git a/frontend/src/routes/@[username]/+page.svelte b/frontend/src/routes/@[username]/+page.svelte
index 65230c7..a181ee7 100644
--- a/frontend/src/routes/@[username]/+page.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/routes/@[username]/+page.svelte
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@
   };
 
   let mergedPreferences: CustomPreferences;
-  $: mergedPreferences = Object.assign(defaultPreferences, data.custom_preferences);
+  $: mergedPreferences = Object.assign({}, defaultPreferences, data.custom_preferences);
 
   let favNames: FieldEntry[];
   $: favNames = data.names.filter(
diff --git a/frontend/src/routes/@[username]/[memberName]/+page.svelte b/frontend/src/routes/@[username]/[memberName]/+page.svelte
index ddc5112..504448a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/routes/@[username]/[memberName]/+page.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/routes/@[username]/[memberName]/+page.svelte
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
   $: bio = renderMarkdown(data.bio);
 
   let mergedPreferences: CustomPreferences;
-  $: mergedPreferences = Object.assign(defaultPreferences, data.user.custom_preferences);
+  $: mergedPreferences = Object.assign({}, defaultPreferences, data.user.custom_preferences);
 
   let favNames: FieldEntry[];
   $: favNames = data.names.filter(
diff --git a/frontend/src/routes/edit/EditableName.svelte b/frontend/src/routes/edit/EditableName.svelte
index 1e12599..09e4c8c 100644
--- a/frontend/src/routes/edit/EditableName.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/routes/edit/EditableName.svelte
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
   let buttonElement: HTMLElement;
 
   let mergedPreferences: CustomPreferences;
-  $: mergedPreferences = Object.assign(defaultPreferences, preferences);
+  $: mergedPreferences = Object.assign({}, defaultPreferences, preferences);
 
   let currentPreference: CustomPreference;
   $: currentPreference =
diff --git a/frontend/src/routes/edit/EditablePronouns.svelte b/frontend/src/routes/edit/EditablePronouns.svelte
index 5179a81..946851e 100644
--- a/frontend/src/routes/edit/EditablePronouns.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/routes/edit/EditablePronouns.svelte
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
   const toggleDisplay = () => (displayOpen = !displayOpen);
 
   let mergedPreferences: CustomPreferences;
-  $: mergedPreferences = Object.assign(defaultPreferences, preferences);
+  $: mergedPreferences = Object.assign({}, defaultPreferences, preferences);
 
   let currentPreference: CustomPreference;
   $: currentPreference =
diff --git a/frontend/src/routes/edit/FieldEntry.svelte b/frontend/src/routes/edit/FieldEntry.svelte
index 2a9b086..1f4aa61 100644
--- a/frontend/src/routes/edit/FieldEntry.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/routes/edit/FieldEntry.svelte
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
   let buttonElement: HTMLElement;
 
   let mergedPreferences: CustomPreferences;
-  $: mergedPreferences = Object.assign(defaultPreferences, preferences);
+  $: mergedPreferences = Object.assign({}, defaultPreferences, preferences);
 
   let currentPreference: CustomPreference;
   $: currentPreference =