Taylor Swift has been in the spotlight recently, from her relationship with Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce to her record-breaking Eras Tour, which saw her travel all over the U.S. in 2023 and will now be making its way across the world. However, when it comes to jet-setting, Swift has been one of the worst celebrity offenders regarding CO2 emissions from her private planes.
There was also an Instagram account run by college student Jack Sweeney dedicated to tracking Taylor’s private jet, which was taken down after Swift’s lawyers sent a cease-and-desist letter due to the “safety threats” the account posed.
Taylor Swift Threatens Legal Action Against Carbon Footprint Tracker Jack Sweeney for Tracking Private Jet via @gatewaypundit https://t.co/QG5Vofynbl
— The Gateway Pundit (@gatewaypundit) February 7, 2024
The notice, which Sweeney confirmed that he’d received, called for him to stop “stalking and harassing behavior” and said the jet tracking had caused Swift to live in a “constant state of fear for her safety.”
“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. Ms. Swift has dealt with stalkers and other individuals who wish her harm,” the letter said.
It also referenced Sweeney’s past dispute with Elon Musk about the jet-tracking accounts.
“We are aware of your public disputes with other high-profile individuals and your tactics in those interactions, including offering to stop your harmful behavior only in exchange for items of value,” the letter said.
Sweeney gained notoriety two years ago, shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine when he began following movements of jets linked to oligarchs and allies of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Sweeney said he’s all about transparency and public information and has nothing to apologize for, as he uses publicly available data from the Federal Aviation Administration.
“I think it’s important to note that nowhere do I intend for harm. I share the facts. I actually think Swift has some good songs,” he told reporters on Tuesday.
James Slater, a Florida attorney who specializes in free speech issues and is representing Sweeney, said Swift, or any other jet owner, has no legal authority to block such public information.
“There is no claim; there’s no claim to just publicizing public information. And in Ms. Swift’s lawyers’ letter, they didn’t address any real claims,” Slater said.
“In the letters, they accused my client of stalking Ms. Swift. Stalking? He’s not following her; he’s not a paparazzo scoping her outside a nightclub; he’s on a computer tracking publicly accessible information,” Slater added.
