diff --git a/.rubocop.yml b/.rubocop.yml
index f94395cd..ce750ace 100644
--- a/.rubocop.yml
+++ b/.rubocop.yml
@@ -57,8 +57,6 @@ Lint/UnneededRequireStatement:
   Enabled: false
 Lint/UnreachableCode:
   Severity: error
-Lint/UselessAccessModifier:
-  Enabled: false
 Lint/Void:
   Enabled: false
 Metrics/AbcSize:
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/collection.rb b/lib/jekyll/collection.rb
index bdfa4b86..5f2aa12a 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/collection.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/collection.rb
@@ -207,16 +207,12 @@ module Jekyll
       @container ||= site.config["collections_dir"]
     end
 
-    private
-
     def read_document(full_path)
       doc = Document.new(full_path, :site => site, :collection => self)
       doc.read
       docs << doc unless doc.data["published"] == false
     end
 
-    private
-
     def read_static_file(file_path, full_path)
       relative_dir = Jekyll.sanitized_path(
         relative_directory,
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/commands/serve.rb b/lib/jekyll/commands/serve.rb
index efdaea67..9b8417cd 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/commands/serve.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/commands/serve.rb
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ module Jekyll
         # Perform logical validation of CLI options
 
         private
+
         def validate_options(opts)
           if opts["livereload"]
             if opts["detach"]
@@ -131,9 +132,6 @@ module Jekyll
           end
         end
 
-        #
-
-        private
         # rubocop:disable Metrics/AbcSize
         def register_reload_hooks(opts)
           require_relative "serve/live_reload_reactor"
@@ -171,7 +169,6 @@ module Jekyll
         # when we get ready to party, checking for an setting up an error page
         # and making sure our destination exists.
 
-        private
         def setup(destination)
           require_relative "serve/servlet"
 
@@ -186,9 +183,6 @@ module Jekyll
           end
         end
 
-        #
-
-        private
         def webrick_opts(opts)
           opts = {
             :JekyllOptions      => opts,
@@ -209,9 +203,6 @@ module Jekyll
           opts
         end
 
-        #
-
-        private
         def start_up_webrick(opts, destination)
           if opts["livereload"]
             @reload_reactor.start(opts)
@@ -226,8 +217,6 @@ module Jekyll
         end
 
         # Recreate NondisclosureName under utf-8 circumstance
-
-        private
         def file_handler_opts
           WEBrick::Config::FileHandler.merge({
             :FancyIndexing     => true,
@@ -237,9 +226,6 @@ module Jekyll
           })
         end
 
-        #
-
-        private
         def server_address(server, options = {})
           format_url(
             server.config[:SSLEnable],
@@ -249,7 +235,6 @@ module Jekyll
           )
         end
 
-        private
         def format_url(ssl_enabled, address, port, baseurl = nil)
           format("%<prefix>s://%<address>s:%<port>i%<baseurl>s", {
             :prefix  => ssl_enabled ? "https" : "http",
@@ -259,9 +244,6 @@ module Jekyll
           })
         end
 
-        #
-
-        private
         def default_url(opts)
           config = configuration_from_options(opts)
           format_url(
@@ -271,9 +253,6 @@ module Jekyll
           )
         end
 
-        #
-
-        private
         def launch_browser(server, opts)
           address = server_address(server, opts)
           return system "start", address if Utils::Platforms.windows?
@@ -286,8 +265,6 @@ module Jekyll
         # Keep in our area with a thread or detach the server as requested
         # by the user.  This method determines what we do based on what you
         # ask us to do.
-
-        private
         def boot_or_detach(server, opts)
           if opts["detach"]
             pid = Process.fork do
@@ -305,8 +282,6 @@ module Jekyll
         end
 
         # Make the stack verbose if the user requests it.
-
-        private
         def enable_logging(opts)
           opts[:AccessLog] = []
           level = WEBrick::Log.const_get(opts[:JekyllOptions]["verbose"] ? :DEBUG : :WARN)
@@ -316,8 +291,6 @@ module Jekyll
         # Add SSL to the stack if the user triggers --enable-ssl and they
         # provide both types of certificates commonly needed.  Raise if they
         # forget to add one of the certificates.
-
-        private
         def enable_ssl(opts)
           cert, key, src =
             opts[:JekyllOptions].values_at("ssl_cert", "ssl_key", "source")
@@ -333,7 +306,6 @@ module Jekyll
           opts[:SSLEnable] = true
         end
 
-        private
         def start_callback(detached)
           unless detached
             proc do
@@ -348,7 +320,6 @@ module Jekyll
           end
         end
 
-        private
         def stop_callback(detached)
           unless detached
             proc do
@@ -364,13 +335,11 @@ module Jekyll
           end
         end
 
-        private
         def mime_types
           file = File.expand_path("../mime.types", __dir__)
           WEBrick::HTTPUtils.load_mime_types(file)
         end
 
-        private
         def read_file(source_dir, file_path)
           File.read(Jekyll.sanitized_path(source_dir, file_path))
         end
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/commands/serve/live_reload_reactor.rb b/lib/jekyll/commands/serve/live_reload_reactor.rb
index 5f3a4877..eeafa236 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/commands/serve/live_reload_reactor.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/commands/serve/live_reload_reactor.rb
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ module Jekyll
         end
 
         private
+
         def connect(websocket, handshake)
           @connections_count += 1
           if @connections_count == 1
@@ -99,12 +100,10 @@ module Jekyll
           @websockets << websocket
         end
 
-        private
         def disconnect(websocket)
           @websockets.delete(websocket)
         end
 
-        private
         def print_message(json_message)
           msg = JSON.parse(json_message)
           # Not sure what the 'url' command even does in LiveReload.  The spec is silent
@@ -114,7 +113,6 @@ module Jekyll
           end
         end
 
-        private
         def log_error(error)
           Jekyll.logger.error "LiveReload experienced an error. " \
             "Run with --trace for more information."
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/commands/serve/servlet.rb b/lib/jekyll/commands/serve/servlet.rb
index 567ec313..3b05bf87 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/commands/serve/servlet.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/commands/serve/servlet.rb
@@ -178,9 +178,8 @@ module Jekyll
         end
         # rubocop:enable Naming/MethodName
 
-        #
-
         private
+
         def validate_and_ensure_charset(_req, res)
           key = res.header.keys.grep(%r!content-type!i).first
           typ = res.header[key]
@@ -190,9 +189,6 @@ module Jekyll
           end
         end
 
-        #
-
-        private
         def set_defaults
           hash_ = @jekyll_opts.fetch("webrick", {}).fetch("headers", {})
           DEFAULTS.each_with_object(@headers = hash_) do |(key, val), hash|
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/configuration.rb b/lib/jekyll/configuration.rb
index e49eb62b..cf7fea55 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/configuration.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/configuration.rb
@@ -278,6 +278,7 @@ module Jekyll
     end
 
     private
+
     def style_to_permalink(permalink_style)
       case permalink_style.to_sym
       when :pretty
@@ -299,14 +300,12 @@ module Jekyll
     # file - the file from which the config was extracted
     #
     # Raises an ArgumentError if given config is not a hash
-    private
     def check_config_is_hash!(extracted_config, file)
       unless extracted_config.is_a?(Hash)
         raise ArgumentError, "Configuration file: (INVALID) #{file}".yellow
       end
     end
 
-    private
     def check_auto(config)
       if config.key?("auto") || config.key?("watch")
         Jekyll::Deprecator.deprecation_message "Auto-regeneration can no longer" \
@@ -317,7 +316,6 @@ module Jekyll
       end
     end
 
-    private
     def check_server(config)
       if config.key?("server")
         Jekyll::Deprecator.deprecation_message "The 'server' configuration option" \
@@ -327,7 +325,6 @@ module Jekyll
       end
     end
 
-    private
     def check_pygments(config)
       if config.key?("pygments")
         Jekyll::Deprecator.deprecation_message "The 'pygments' configuration option" \
@@ -340,7 +337,6 @@ module Jekyll
       end
     end
 
-    private
     def check_include_exclude(config)
       %w(include exclude).each do |option|
         if config[option].is_a?(String)
@@ -354,7 +350,6 @@ module Jekyll
       end
     end
 
-    private
     def check_coderay(config)
       if (config["kramdown"] || {}).key?("use_coderay")
         Jekyll::Deprecator.deprecation_message "Please change 'use_coderay'" \
@@ -363,7 +358,6 @@ module Jekyll
       end
     end
 
-    private
     def check_maruku(config)
       if config.fetch("markdown", "kramdown").to_s.casecmp("maruku").zero?
         Jekyll.logger.abort_with "Error:", "You're using the 'maruku' " \
@@ -380,7 +374,6 @@ module Jekyll
     #
     # Raises a Jekyll::Errors::InvalidConfigurationError if the config `plugins`
     # is a string
-    private
     def check_plugins(config)
       if config.key?("plugins") && config["plugins"].is_a?(String)
         Jekyll.logger.error "Configuration Error:", "You specified the" \
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/converters/markdown.rb b/lib/jekyll/converters/markdown.rb
index 3c1c3458..220bc382 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/converters/markdown.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/converters/markdown.rb
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ module Jekyll
       end
 
       private
+
       def custom_processor
         converter_name = @config["markdown"]
         if custom_class_allowed?(converter_name)
@@ -90,8 +91,6 @@ module Jekyll
       #
       # Returns true if the parser name contains only alphanumeric
       # characters and is defined within Jekyll::Converters::Markdown
-
-      private
       def custom_class_allowed?(parser_name)
         parser_name !~ %r![^A-Za-z0-9_]! && self.class.constants.include?(
           parser_name.to_sym
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/converters/markdown/kramdown_parser.rb b/lib/jekyll/converters/markdown/kramdown_parser.rb
index b7caab55..cdae8664 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/converters/markdown/kramdown_parser.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/converters/markdown/kramdown_parser.rb
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ module Jekyll
         end
 
         private
+
         def make_accessible(hash = @config)
           hash.keys.each do |key|
             hash[key.to_sym] = hash[key]
@@ -59,8 +60,6 @@ module Jekyll
         #   config[highlighter]
         # Where `enable_coderay` is now deprecated because Kramdown
         # supports Rouge now too.
-
-        private
         def highlighter
           return @highlighter if @highlighter
 
@@ -84,7 +83,6 @@ module Jekyll
           end
         end
 
-        private
         def strip_coderay_prefix(hash)
           hash.each_with_object({}) do |(key, val), hsh|
             cleaned_key = key.to_s.gsub(%r!\Acoderay_!, "")
@@ -102,8 +100,6 @@ module Jekyll
         # If our highlighter is CodeRay we go in to merge the CodeRay defaults
         # with your "coderay" key if it's there, deprecating it in the
         # process of you using it.
-
-        private
         def modernize_coderay_config
           unless @config["coderay"].empty?
             Jekyll::Deprecator.deprecation_message(
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/document.rb b/lib/jekyll/document.rb
index 061839f1..a4f989b8 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/document.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/document.rb
@@ -416,6 +416,7 @@ module Jekyll
     end
 
     private
+
     def merge_categories!(other)
       if other.key?("categories") && !other["categories"].nil?
         if other["categories"].is_a?(String)
@@ -425,7 +426,6 @@ module Jekyll
       end
     end
 
-    private
     def merge_date!(source)
       if data.key?("date")
         data["date"] = Utils.parse_date(
@@ -435,7 +435,6 @@ module Jekyll
       end
     end
 
-    private
     def merge_defaults
       defaults = @site.frontmatter_defaults.all(
         relative_path,
@@ -444,7 +443,6 @@ module Jekyll
       merge_data!(defaults, :source => "front matter defaults") unless defaults.empty?
     end
 
-    private
     def read_content(opts)
       self.content = File.read(path, Utils.merged_file_read_opts(site, opts))
       if content =~ YAML_FRONT_MATTER_REGEXP
@@ -454,7 +452,6 @@ module Jekyll
       end
     end
 
-    private
     def read_post_data
       populate_title
       populate_categories
@@ -462,7 +459,6 @@ module Jekyll
       generate_excerpt
     end
 
-    private
     def handle_read_error(error)
       if error.is_a? Psych::SyntaxError
         Jekyll.logger.error "Error:", "YAML Exception reading #{path}: #{error.message}"
@@ -475,7 +471,6 @@ module Jekyll
       end
     end
 
-    private
     def populate_title
       if relative_path =~ DATE_FILENAME_MATCHER
         date, slug, ext = Regexp.last_match.captures
@@ -491,14 +486,12 @@ module Jekyll
       data["ext"]   ||= ext
     end
 
-    private
     def modify_date(date)
       if !data["date"] || data["date"].to_i == site.time.to_i
         merge_data!({ "date" => date }, :source => "filename")
       end
     end
 
-    private
     def generate_excerpt
       if generate_excerpt?
         data["excerpt"] ||= Jekyll::Excerpt.new(self)
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/filters.rb b/lib/jekyll/filters.rb
index 209a3e0e..1708d5fa 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/filters.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/filters.rb
@@ -316,7 +316,6 @@ module Jekyll
         .map!(&:last)
     end
 
-    private
     def item_property(item, property)
       if item.respond_to?(:to_liquid)
         property.to_s.split(".").reduce(item.to_liquid) do |subvalue, attribute|
@@ -329,7 +328,6 @@ module Jekyll
       end
     end
 
-    private
     def as_liquid(item)
       case item
       when Hash
@@ -353,7 +351,6 @@ module Jekyll
     end
 
     # Parse a string to a Liquid Condition
-    private
     def parse_condition(exp)
       parser = Liquid::Parser.new(exp)
       left_expr = parser.expression
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/filters/date_filters.rb b/lib/jekyll/filters/date_filters.rb
index 40028c88..7bdf0fff 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/filters/date_filters.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/filters/date_filters.rb
@@ -81,7 +81,6 @@ module Jekyll
         time.strftime("%d #{month_type} %Y")
       end
 
-      private
       def ordinal(number)
         return "th" if (11..13).cover?(number)
 
@@ -93,7 +92,6 @@ module Jekyll
         end
       end
 
-      private
       def time(input)
         date = Liquid::Utils.to_date(input)
         unless date.respond_to?(:to_time)
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/filters/grouping_filters.rb b/lib/jekyll/filters/grouping_filters.rb
index 4086bbe9..c9cdc654 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/filters/grouping_filters.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/filters/grouping_filters.rb
@@ -41,16 +41,15 @@ module Jekyll
       end
 
       private
+
       def parse_expression(str)
         Liquid::Variable.new(str, Liquid::ParseContext.new)
       end
 
-      private
       def groupable?(element)
         element.respond_to?(:group_by)
       end
 
-      private
       def grouped_array(groups)
         groups.each_with_object([]) do |item, array|
           array << {
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/regenerator.rb b/lib/jekyll/regenerator.rb
index 178cb1a9..864bb0c8 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/regenerator.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/regenerator.rb
@@ -165,7 +165,6 @@ module Jekyll
         end
     end
 
-    private
     def regenerate_page?(document)
       document.asset_file? || document.data["regenerate"] ||
         source_modified_or_dest_missing?(
@@ -173,7 +172,6 @@ module Jekyll
         )
     end
 
-    private
     def regenerate_document?(document)
       !document.write? || document.data["regenerate"] ||
         source_modified_or_dest_missing?(
@@ -181,7 +179,6 @@ module Jekyll
         )
     end
 
-    private
     def existing_file_modified?(path)
       # If one of this file dependencies have been modified,
       # set the regeneration bit for both the dependency and the file to true
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/renderer.rb b/lib/jekyll/renderer.rb
index 9c47b256..acd9a4ee 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/renderer.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/renderer.rb
@@ -166,11 +166,12 @@ module Jekyll
       output
     end
 
+    private
+
     # Checks if the layout specified in the document actually exists
     #
     # layout - the layout to check
     # Returns nothing
-    private
     def validate_layout(layout)
       if invalid_layout?(layout)
         Jekyll.logger.warn(
@@ -187,7 +188,6 @@ module Jekyll
     # Render layout content into document.output
     #
     # Returns String rendered content
-    private
     def render_layout(output, layout, info)
       payload["content"] = output
       payload["layout"]  = Utils.deep_merge_hashes(layout.data, payload["layout"] || {})
@@ -200,7 +200,6 @@ module Jekyll
       )
     end
 
-    private
     def add_regenerator_dependencies(layout)
       return unless document.write?
       site.regenerator.add_dependency(
@@ -212,7 +211,6 @@ module Jekyll
     # Set page content to payload and assign pager if document has one.
     #
     # Returns nothing
-    private
     def assign_pages!
       payload["page"] = document.to_liquid
       payload["paginator"] = if document.respond_to?(:pager)
@@ -223,7 +221,6 @@ module Jekyll
     # Set related posts to payload if document is a post.
     #
     # Returns nothing
-    private
     def assign_current_document!
       payload["site"].current_document = document
     end
@@ -231,13 +228,11 @@ module Jekyll
     # Set highlighter prefix and suffix
     #
     # Returns nothing
-    private
     def assign_highlighter_options!
       payload["highlighter_prefix"] = converters.first.highlighter_prefix
       payload["highlighter_suffix"] = converters.first.highlighter_suffix
     end
 
-    private
     def assign_layout_data!
       layout = layouts[document.data["layout"]]
       if layout
@@ -245,7 +240,6 @@ module Jekyll
       end
     end
 
-    private
     def permalink_ext
       document_permalink = document.permalink
       if document_permalink && !document_permalink.end_with?("/")
@@ -254,7 +248,6 @@ module Jekyll
       end
     end
 
-    private
     def converter_output_ext
       if output_exts.size == 1
         output_exts.last
@@ -263,14 +256,12 @@ module Jekyll
       end
     end
 
-    private
     def output_exts
       @output_exts ||= converters.map do |c|
         c.output_ext(document.extname)
       end.compact
     end
 
-    private
     def liquid_options
       @liquid_options ||= site.config["liquid"]
     end
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/site.rb b/lib/jekyll/site.rb
index 25257a64..6264c102 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/site.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/site.rb
@@ -403,10 +403,11 @@ module Jekyll
       @collections_path ||= dir_str.empty? ? source : in_source_dir(dir_str)
     end
 
+    private
+
     # Limits the current posts; removes the posts which exceed the limit_posts
     #
     # Returns nothing
-    private
     def limit_posts!
       if limit_posts > 0
         limit = posts.docs.length < limit_posts ? posts.docs.length : limit_posts
@@ -418,18 +419,15 @@ module Jekyll
     # already exist.
     #
     # Returns The Cleaner
-    private
     def site_cleaner
       @site_cleaner ||= Cleaner.new(self)
     end
 
-    private
     def configure_plugins
       self.plugin_manager = Jekyll::PluginManager.new(self)
       self.plugins        = plugin_manager.plugins_path
     end
 
-    private
     def configure_theme
       self.theme = nil
       return if config["theme"].nil?
@@ -444,20 +442,17 @@ module Jekyll
         end
     end
 
-    private
     def configure_include_paths
       @includes_load_paths = Array(in_source_dir(config["includes_dir"].to_s))
       @includes_load_paths << theme.includes_path if theme && theme.includes_path
     end
 
-    private
     def configure_file_read_opts
       self.file_read_opts = {}
       self.file_read_opts[:encoding] = config["encoding"] if config["encoding"]
       self.file_read_opts = Jekyll::Utils.merged_file_read_opts(self, {})
     end
 
-    private
     def render_docs(payload)
       collections.each_value do |collection|
         collection.docs.each do |document|
@@ -466,14 +461,12 @@ module Jekyll
       end
     end
 
-    private
     def render_pages(payload)
       pages.flatten.each do |page|
         render_regenerated(page, payload)
       end
     end
 
-    private
     def render_regenerated(document, payload)
       return unless regenerator.regenerate?(document)
       document.output = Jekyll::Renderer.new(self, document, payload).run
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/utils.rb b/lib/jekyll/utils.rb
index e17a4cdc..f52a62ff 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/utils.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/utils.rb
@@ -313,6 +313,7 @@ module Jekyll
     end
 
     private
+
     def merge_values(target, overwrite)
       target.merge!(overwrite) do |_key, old_val, new_val|
         if new_val.nil?
@@ -325,14 +326,12 @@ module Jekyll
       end
     end
 
-    private
     def merge_default_proc(target, overwrite)
       if target.is_a?(Hash) && overwrite.is_a?(Hash) && target.default_proc.nil?
         target.default_proc = overwrite.default_proc
       end
     end
 
-    private
     def duplicate_frozen_values(target)
       target.each do |key, val|
         target[key] = val.dup if val.frozen? && duplicable?(val)
@@ -343,7 +342,6 @@ module Jekyll
     #
     # See Utils#slugify for a description of the character sequence specified
     # by each mode.
-    private
     def replace_character_sequence_with_hyphen(string, mode: "default")
       replaceable_char =
         case mode
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/utils/internet.rb b/lib/jekyll/utils/internet.rb
index f895596c..f723469b 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/utils/internet.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/utils/internet.rb
@@ -23,8 +23,6 @@ module Jekyll
         !dns("example.com").nil?
       end
 
-      private
-      module_function
       def dns(domain)
         require "resolv"
         Resolv::DNS.open do |resolver|