diff --git a/static/styles/zulip.css b/static/styles/zulip.css
index 59f1db7491..a3b11feaad 100644
--- a/static/styles/zulip.css
+++ b/static/styles/zulip.css
@@ -7,6 +7,12 @@ html {
 body {
     font-family: 'Humbug', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;
     overflow-y: auto;
+   -webkit-touch-callout: none;
+   -webkit-user-select: none;
+   -khtml-user-select: none;
+   -moz-user-select: none;
+   -ms-user-select: none;
+    user-select: none;
 }
 
 /* Common background color */
@@ -113,6 +119,12 @@ a {
     margin-top: 50px;
     width: 200px;
     z-index:3;
+   -webkit-touch-callout: text;
+   -webkit-user-select: text;
+   -khtml-user-select: text;
+   -moz-user-select: text;
+   -ms-user-select: text;
+    user-select: text;
 }
 
 .app-main .column-right .right-sidebar {
@@ -124,6 +136,12 @@ a {
     width: 100%;
     margin-right: -200px;
     margin-left: -200px;
+   -webkit-touch-callout: text;
+   -webkit-user-select: text;
+   -khtml-user-select: text;
+   -moz-user-select: text;
+   -ms-user-select: text;
+    user-select: text;
 }
 
 .column-middle-inner {