Current:Home > ScamsTaylor Swift's private jet tracker claps back, saying he's done 'nothing unlawful' -Aspire Money Growth
Taylor Swift's private jet tracker claps back, saying he's done 'nothing unlawful'
View
Date:2025-04-15 23:54:19
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! (69664)
Related
- North Carolina trustees approve Bill Belichick’s deal ahead of introductory news conference
- Florida’s Bob Graham dead at 87: A leader who looked beyond politics, served ordinary folks
- Indiana Fever's Caitlin Clark says she hopes the Pacers beat the Bucks in 2024 NBA playoffs
- Sydney Sweeney Slams Producer for Saying She Can't Act and Is Not Pretty
- Residents worried after ceiling cracks appear following reroofing works at Jalan Tenaga HDB blocks
- Pilot swims to shore with dog after plane crashes into Pacific Ocean near Los Angeles
- Climate change concerns grow, but few think Biden’s climate law will help, AP-NORC poll finds
- NPR editor Uri Berliner resigns after essay accusing outlet of liberal bias
- Tree trimmer dead after getting caught in wood chipper at Florida town hall
- Unknown sailor's notebook found hidden in furniture tells story of USS Amesbury's WWII journey
Ranking
- Residents worried after ceiling cracks appear following reroofing works at Jalan Tenaga HDB blocks
- Billy Joel special will air again after abrupt cut-off on CBS
- House of Horror Survivor Jordan Turpin Debuts New Romance With Boyfriend Matt Ryan
- What to know about the jurors in Trump's hush money trial in New York
- Selena Gomez's "Weird Uncles" Steve Martin and Martin Short React to Her Engagement
- YouTuber Abhradeep Angry Rantman Saha Dead at 27 After Major Surgery
- Dawn Staley shares Beyoncé letter to South Carolina basketball after national championship
- Jennifer Love Hewitt Debuts Her 3 Kids on Book Cover: All the Details
Recommendation
Buckingham Palace staff under investigation for 'bar brawl'
Netflix's Ripley spurs surge in bookings to Atrani area in Italy, Airbnb says
Tip leads to arrest in cold case killing of off-duty DC police officer in Baltimore
Israelis grapple with how to celebrate Passover, a holiday about freedom, while many remain captive
South Korea's acting president moves to reassure allies, calm markets after Yoon impeachment
Jerry Seinfeld on Unfrosted, the made-up origin tale of Pop-Tarts
2024 MLB MVP power rankings: Who is leading the AL, NL races 20 games into the season?
NCAA allows transfers to be immediately eligible, no matter how many times they’ve switched schools