Taylor Swift’s Lawyers Threaten Legal Action Against Software Engineer Tracking Her Private Jet
Taylor Swift, the renowned pop culture icon, has recently taken legal action against Jack Sweeney, a 21-year-old software engineer and student at the University of Central Florida. Swift’s lawyers sent Sweeney a cease and desist letter, urging him to shut down his social media accounts that track her private jet. This news, initially reported by the Washington Post, has gained further confirmation from CNN after Sweeney confirmed receiving the letter.
Sweeney gained public attention for his programming skills and the operation of several social media accounts that compile data about the flights of celebrities’ private jets. These accounts provide information such as take-off and touch-down locations, flight duration, and flight paths. Sweeney sources his data from publicly available flight information from the Federal Aviation Administration and signal tracking by aviation enthusiasts. Despite the fact that his sources are largely public, albeit not widely known, Swift’s lawyers are threatening legal action if he continues to post. As of now, the accounts appear to be offline.
In the cease and desist letter, attorney Katie Wright Morrone, representing Taylor Swift, argued that Sweeney’s actions pose a significant threat to Swift’s safety and well-being. Given the numerous threats and stalkers Swift has encountered in the past, Morrone claims that Sweeney’s work provides potential stalkers with a “roadmap” to carry out their plans. She further stated that there is no legitimate interest or public need for this information other than to stalk, harass, and exert control over Swift. Failure to suspend tracking of Swift’s private jet would leave her with no choice but to pursue legal remedies.
Sweeney, in response, expressed that he did not intend to cause harm with his work. He emphasized that he only compiles and publishes public information, believing in transparency and public access to information.
This is not the first time Sweeney has faced opposition from a celebrity regarding the publication of their flight data on social media. In December 2022, Elon Musk, CEO of Twitter (now X), banned Sweeney’s account that tracked his private jet. The ban came after a stalker followed Musk’s two-year-old son, mistaking Musk to be in the car. Prior to the ban, Musk attempted to negotiate with Sweeney, offering him $5,000 to take down the account in 2021. Sweeney countered with a request for $50,000 and an internship.
Sweeney’s work has garnered public interest, particularly in relation to the amount of CO2 emissions each flight expels into the atmosphere. His accounts also track the flights of other celebrities such as Tom Cruise, Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, and Kenny Chesney.
In conclusion, Taylor Swift’s legal team has taken action against Jack Sweeney, a software engineer who tracks her private jet. While Sweeney claims to operate based on public information and transparency, Swift’s lawyers argue that his actions pose a significant threat to her safety. This case raises important questions about privacy, public access to information, and the responsibility of individuals who compile and publish data on social media platforms.
