Grammy Award winner Taylor Swift has issued a cease-and-desist letter to Jack Sweeney, a 21-year-old student who publicly tracks the private jet movements of celebrities.
Swift’s lawyers argue that Sweeney’s activities amount to “stalking,” posing an imminent threat to her safety and wellbeing.
The cease-and-desist letter, sent in December, emphasizes the life-or-death nature of the situation for Swift, citing her past experiences with stalkers.
The letter contends that sharing the location of her private jet provides criminals with a “roadmap to carry out their plans.”
Sweeney, a University of Central Florida student, asserts that he has no intention of causing harm and believes in transparency and public information.
He received the threatening letter after media scrutiny of Swift’s carbon footprint, particularly her high private jet CO2 emissions in 2022, topping the list of celebrities.
In response to the legal action, Sweeney asserted to the BBC, “nowhere do I intend for harm,” and revealed that he started tracking Swift’s flights after heightened media attention on her environmental impact.
Swift’s spokesperson attributed the timing of recent stalking incidents to Sweeney’s posts, which detailed the exact whereabouts and timing of the artist.
The singer’s upcoming travel plans, including attending her boyfriend’s NFL Super Bowl performance in Las Vegas, have further fueled public interest.
It’s important to note that Sweeney’s posts focus solely on flight details and do not disclose information about the individuals on board or their subsequent activities.
His tracking activities extend beyond Swift, covering other affluent figures such as Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg.