Why Is Taylor Swift Threatening Legal Action Against Florida Student Tracking Her Jet? Explaining The Controversy

Lawyers representing Taylor Swift are threatening legal action against a college student in Florida who monitors the private jet movements of celebrities and public figures, including Swift herself.

Jack Sweeney confirmed to CNN on Tuesday that he has been sent a cease-and-desist letter by Taylor Swift's attorneys, threatening legal actions. The letter pertains to the social media accounts managed by Sweeney, which tracks Swift's flight activities. This news was first reported by the Washington Post.

Sweeney, known for his previous tracking of billionaire Elon Musk's jet movements online, faced backlash from Musk himself. Musk, the owner of X, shut down Sweeney's "@ElonJet" account on the social media platform formerly called Twitter in December 2022.

Sweeney, who has been reinstated on the X platform, operates additional accounts that monitor the private jet activities of Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, and various other prominent figures. Musk has previously expressed concerns, stating that these accounts present a "security risk" to himself and his family.

Utilizing publicly accessible flight data from the Federal Aviation Administration and flight signals monitored by individual aviation enthusiasts, Sweeney manages these accounts across multiple social media platforms. His posts often incorporate estimates of carbon emissions for the flights he tracks.

In the December letter from Taylor Swift's lead attorney concerning this matter, Katie Morrone from Venable LLP, Sweeney is accused of partaking in "stalking and harassing behavior." This includes "consistently publishing real-time and precise information about our client’s location and future whereabouts to the public on social media.”

The letter alleges that this behavior represents an "imminent threat to the safety and wellbeing" of Taylor Swift. Additionally, it accuses Sweeney of prioritizing "public attention and/or requests for financial gain” over the safety of others.

The letter also refers to CNN's coverage of Elon Musk's offer to Sweeney, proposing $5,000 for the deletion of the Twitter account monitoring his jet. Sweeney declined this offer initially, instead requesting $50,000, suggesting he could utilize the funds for college expenses or potentially to purchase a Tesla vehicle.

The letter emphasizes the critical nature of the situation for Taylor Swift, describing it as a "life-or-death matter." Swift has faced threats and harassment from stalkers since her teenage years. It cites numerous public instances where individuals have attempted to harm her, including incidents where they were armed with weapons and ammunition at her residences. The letter argues that disclosing her location information provides these malicious individuals with a “a roadmap to carry out their plans.”

If Sweeney persists in disseminating information regarding Swift's jet movements, her legal team asserts that “she will have no choice but to pursue any and all legal remedies available to her.”

Sweeney informed CNN via email that he received the letter from Swift's attorneys following scrutiny of the singer's carbon footprint by certain non-profit organizations and media outlets.

Sweeney also informed CNN that his actions were never intended to harm, emphasizing that he is simply compiling "public information."

"I actually think Swift has some good songs," Sweeney remarked. However, he reiterated, “I believe in transparency and public information.” Sweeney also said there is high public interest from Swift’s fans in the accounts, saying she should have “a decent expectation” that her jet will be tracked “whether or not I do it.”

When questioned regarding evidence linking stalkers of Swift to the jet-tracking accounts operated by Sweeney, a representative for Swift told the Washington Post, “We cannot comment on any ongoing police investigation but can confirm the timing of stalkers suggests a connection. His posts tell you exactly when and where she would be.”

Interest in Taylor Swift's upcoming travels has heightened, particularly regarding whether she will return to the US from her overseas tour in time to attend the Super Bowl with her boyfriend Travis Kelce.

Just last week, the Japanese Embassy in the US issued a tweet stating that despite the long-haul flight from Tokyo and a significant time difference, Swift should feasibly arrive in Las Vegas from Tokyo in time for the event if she departs in the evening following her concert.

What is a Cease-and-Desist Letter?

According to Legal Information Institute, "A cease and desist letter is a cautionary letter sent to an alleged wrongdoer describing the alleged misconduct and demanding that the alleged misconduct be stopped. A cease and desist letter provides notice that legal action may and will be taken if the conduct in question continues. "

"Such letters are usually written by attorneys and are often sent to stop alleged or actual infringement of intellectual property rights, such as copyrights, trademarks, and patents. A cease-and-desist letter may also be used to warn the wrongdoer against harassment, slander, libel, as well as contractual violations. "

"Even though a cease-and-desist letter is a non-binding letter and does not have a legal effect, it is primarily sent to the wrongdoer so that it may later be used as evidence in litigation against the wrongdoer if the alleged misconduct is not stopped."