diff --git a/auth/auth.rb b/auth/auth.rb
index edc814f..9cedaa2 100644
--- a/auth/auth.rb
+++ b/auth/auth.rb
@@ -9,12 +9,22 @@ require 'json'
 require 'sqlite3'
 require 'jwt'
 
-payload = { data: 'test', test: 'hello' }
+payload = { data: {time: 'now', help: 'no'}.to_json, test: 'hello' }
 hmac_secret = 'my$ecretK3y'
 token = JWT.encode payload, hmac_secret, 'HS256'
 #puts token
 
-decoded_token = JWT.decode token, hmac_secret, true, { algorithm: 'HS256' }
+begin
+  decoded_token = JWT.decode token, hmac_secret, true, { algorithm: 'HS256' }
+  puts "Token is valid!"
+  puts "Decoded token: #{decoded_token}"
+
+  puts data_value = decoded_token.first['data']
+  puts test_value = decoded_token.first['test']
+rescue JWT::DecodeError
+  puts "Invalid token or signature!"
+end
+
 #puts decoded_token
 
 initialize_database
diff --git a/auth/database_queries.rb b/auth/database_queries.rb
index bc05621..99b9e69 100644
--- a/auth/database_queries.rb
+++ b/auth/database_queries.rb
@@ -7,13 +7,13 @@ def create_new_user(username, password)
     db.execute('
         INSERT INTO users (username, hashed_password)
         VALUES (?, ?)
-    ', [username, create_password_for_user(password)])
+    ', [username.downcase, create_password_for_user(password)])
 end
 
 def check_if_user_exists(username)
     db = SQLite3::Database.new('./database/auth.db')
 
-    result = db.get_first_value('SELECT COUNT(*) FROM users WHERE username = ?', username)
+    result = db.get_first_value('SELECT COUNT(*) FROM users WHERE username = ?', username.downcase)
 
     if result > 0
         return true
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ def get_user_id(username)
         FROM        users U
         WHERE       U.username = ?
             
-    ', [username])
+    ', [username.downcase])
 
     return user_id
 end