Taylor Swift’s Team Threatens Legal Action Against Student Tracking Her Private Jet
Jack Sweeney, a University of Central Florida student, has found himself in hot water after tracking the private jet usage of celebrities on social media. Sweeney first gained national attention for his Twitter account that tracked Elon Musk’s private jet usage. However, Musk responded by suspending Sweeney’s Twitter account, stating that doxxing real-time locations was prohibited.
Undeterred, Sweeney continued posting Musk’s private flight information on other social media platforms like Instagram and Threads. Sweeney also expanded his flight-tracking hobby to include other celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, Donald Trump, and Taylor Swift. However, Swift’s team was not pleased with Sweeney’s activities and sent him a letter threatening legal action if he continued posting her flight data.
According to The Washington Post, the letter was sent in December and stated, “While this may be a game to you, or an avenue that you hope will earn you wealth or fame, it is a life-or-death matter for our Client.” Sweeney’s accounts on Meta Platforms apps, including Threads, Instagram, and Facebook, were subsequently suspended within hours of receiving the letter.
Sweeney believes that Swift’s team also contacted Meta Platforms and convinced the company to remove his accounts. While Sweeney’s accounts tracking Swift’s flights are no longer accessible on Instagram or Threads, his accounts tracking Musk, Trump, and other celebrities remain active.
Benzinga reached out to Meta Platforms for comment but did not receive a response. Swift’s representatives were also contacted for comment but did not provide a response.
Sweeney has adjusted his flight-tracking strategy since Musk initially targeted his accounts in 2022. He now posts flight information on a 24-hour delay, adhering to X.com’s policy about real-time location doxxing. Sweeney’s account tracking Swift’s flights is still live on X.com.
Swift’s private jet usage has become a topic of discussion among fans, especially as they speculate if she will be able to travel from her “Eras Tour” concert in Japan on February 10 to the Super Bowl in Las Vegas the following day. Reports also suggest that Swift recently sold one of her private jets. Critics have been vocal about Swift’s jet usage, highlighting her flight times and fuel consumption as top concerns, according to a 2022 Washington Post report.
It remains to be seen how this legal threat will impact Sweeney’s flight-tracking activities and whether Swift’s team will pursue further action. In the meantime, the controversy surrounding celebrity jet tracking continues to spark debate on the boundaries of privacy and the public’s fascination with the lives of the rich and famous.
