Current:Home > reviewsTaylor Swift's private jet tracker claps back, saying he's done 'nothing unlawful' -Golden Summit Finance
Taylor Swift's private jet tracker claps back, saying he's done 'nothing unlawful'
View
Date:2025-04-27 17:36:04
One college student has no problem sharing Taylor Swift's flight paths all too well.
University of Central Florida student Jack Sweeney is pushing back on a cease-and-desist letter sent to him by Swift's attorney demanding he stop publicly posting the singer's flights on her jet. The 21-year-old ran the now-defunct Instagram page @taylorswiftjets, where he reported her flight activity using data from various sources of publicly available information.
Swift's attorney, Katie Wright Morrone, sent multiple letters to Sweeney demanding that he stop tracking and publicly sharing her flight information. In a dismissive reply shared on X on Monday, Sweeney's attorney said the 22-year-old student and his company, GRNDCTRL, did nothing illegal.
Sweeney captioned the post, "Look What You Made Me Do," referencing the title track off Swift's 2017 "Reputation" album. He also shared the two letters sent to him by Swift's team.
"Put simply, there is nothing unlawful about GRNDCTRL's use of publicly accessible information to track private jets, including those by public figures like Taylor Swift," wrote Sweeney's attorney, James Slater.
Slater argued that Sweeney's speech is protected and did not violate any of Swift's legal rights. He added that GRNDCTRL has also reported flight history for Russian oligarchs and Elon Musk.
'Texas Hold 'Em':Beyoncé becomes first Black woman to top Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart
Attorneys rejects claims he posed 'credible threat' to Swift
Swift's attorneys argue that Sweeney's actions put the popstar at risk by providing up-to-date location information accessible to potential stalkers and would-be harassers.
Slater rejected those claims by clarifying that Sweeney is using information that is already made publicly available. He added that the language in Morrone's letter defines a stalker as someone who poses a "credible threat" to a victim.
"Our clients have never made any threats against Ms. Swift and your letter does not suggest they have done so," Slater said. "Further, your letter's tone is unfounded."
USA TODAY has reached out to Swift's representatives for comment.
How is Taylor Swift's jet being tracked?
Sweeney has multiple social media accounts tracking aircrafts belonging to celebrities, billionaires and politicians, with some even analyzing the carbon footprint of the jet owners' trips.
The information doesn't come from one source bur rather uses data pieced together from a few different sources of publicly available information, such as registration information from the Federal Aviation Administration, and broadcast signals from the planes themselves. Those signals are known as Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast, or ADS-B, data.
ADS-B technology is required by the Federal Aviation Administration on aircraft and shares real-time position, altitude and other information that is important to air traffic controllers. The data also allows for sites like FlightAware.com to show real-time commercial flight locations.
Contributing: Jeanine Santucci and Christopher Cann
veryGood! (9862)
Related
- DoorDash steps up driver ID checks after traffic safety complaints
- Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom and More Stars Who Got Engaged or Married on Valentine's Day
- Ukrainian military says it sank a Russian landing ship in the Black Sea
- Diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives limited at Kentucky colleges under Senate bill
- Could your smelly farts help science?
- Record Super Bowl ratings suggest fans who talk about quitting NFL are mostly liars
- Tom Sandoval Screams at Lisa Vanderpump During Tense Vanderpump Rules Confrontation
- From Super Bowl LVIII to the moon landing, here are TV's most-watched broadcasts
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Triathlon
- What is Temu, and should you let your parents order from it?
Ranking
- As Trump Enters Office, a Ripe Oil and Gas Target Appears: An Alabama National Forest
- Oklahoma softball transfer Jordy Bahl suffers season-ending injury in debut with Nebraska
- A day after his latest hospital release, Austin presses for urgent military aid for Ukraine
- Connecticut pastor was dealing meth in exchange for watching sex, police say
- Man can't find second winning lottery ticket, sues over $394 million jackpot, lawsuit says
- Connecticut pastor found with crystal meth during traffic stop, police say
- Bet You’ll Think About Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s Double Date Pic With Megan Fox, Machine Gun Kelly
- Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day fall on the same day this year. Here’s what you need to know
Recommendation
Intellectuals vs. The Internet
Microsoft says US rivals are beginning to use generative AI in offensive cyber operations
Snowiest day in 2 years brings selfies and snowmen to New York City’s Central Park
Greek lawmakers are debating a landmark bill to legalize same-sex marriage. Here’s what it means
Trump wants to turn the clock on daylight saving time
Open gun carry proposal in South Carolina on the ropes as conservatives fight among themselves
A Mississippi university tries again to drop ‘Women’ from its name
Flight attendants hold picket signs and rallies in protest for new contracts, pay raises