Taylor Swift‘s legal team has warned a Florida college student, Jack Sweeney, who gained attention for tracking the private jet movements of celebrities, including Swift, on social media. Sweeney, known for tracking Elon Musk‘s jet travel, which led to his account being removed from the platform X (formerly Twitter), confirmed receiving a cease-and-desist letter from Swift’s attorneys, as reported by the Washington Post .
RELATED STORIES: Oop: Selena Gomez And Taylor Swift Accused Of Gossiping About Kylie Jenner During Golden Globes — Timothée Chalamet Sets The Record Straight
The controversy around Sweeney’s activities extends to other high-profile figures such as Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates, with Musk citing “security risk” concerns for his family due to the tracking. Sweeney uses publicly available flight data to operate his tracking accounts, adding information about carbon emissions for each flight.
Swift’s attorney, Katie Morrone, accuses the college student of “stalking and harassing behavior” by publishing detailed real-time locations and future travel plans of Swift, posing a significant safety threat. The letter emphasizes the severity of the risk, mentioning Swift’s history with stalkers and potential for harm, framing the issue as a matter of life and death. “[There is] no legitimate interest in or public need for this information, other than to stalk, harass, and exert dominion and control,” Morrone wrote.
RELATED STORIES: Amber Rose Reflects on Taylor Swift & Kanye West’s VMAs Moment — Says “Beyonce Deserved That Award”
Sweeney’s tracking has sparked debate over privacy and public information, especially after scrutiny of Swift’s carbon footprint by various organizations and media. Despite the backlash, Sweeney defends his use of public data, insisting on transparency and acknowledging Swift’s popularity and the public’s interest in her travels.
Swift’s spokesperson, Tree Paine, told the outlet that they couldn’t comment on the investigation:
““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.”
This situation arises amid heightened interest in Swift’s movements, particularly regarding her return from an overseas tour in time for the Super Bowl to watch her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, play possibly. Currently, she is expected to perform in Tokyo, Japan, as part of her “ERAS” tour.