Amid criticisms over carbon footprint, Taylor Swift threatens legal action against 21-year-old student Jack Sweeney for tracking her private jets

While Taylor’s lawyers argue “stalking and harassment,” fans are questioning the necessity of legal action, dividing the Swifties into two distinct camps. On one side, some of her fans are siding with Taylor, citing safety concerns and the emotional toll of past stalkers, on the other, many are finding the legal action ‘cruel’ and argue that tracking public data falls under freedom of information.

Jack created social media accounts tracking the jet activity of celebrities, including the ‘You Belong With Me’ hitmaker, using publicly available data. This ‘game’ of his, as Taylor’s attorneys describe it, earned him acclaim for raising environmental awareness and even a Forbes 30 under 30 nod. They assert that his tracking is a ‘life-or-death matter’ due to past stalking incidents.

Memories of a man arrested near her home last month linger. They argue Sweeney’s jet-tracking, while seemingly innocuous, provides information “other than to stalk, harass, and exert dominion and control.” His online posts, they claim, could reveal her precise location, putting her safety at risk.

Speaking to The Guardian, Tree Paine, the ‘Lover’ songstress’ spokesperson, said, “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.”

Jack sees his project as mere data analysis, highlighting environmental concerns and sparking public discussion. Speaking to The Post, the 21-year old urges that he saw the letter as a ‘scare tactic,’ and a way to refrain him  from sharing public data as the accounts offer only an incomplete sketch of which cities he might be in, similar to the public schedules for her concerts or any NFL games she might attend.  “The letters were sent to me at a time when she faced criticism over her flights’ environmental effects. This information is already out there. Her team thinks they can control the world,” he was quoted as saying.

The University of Central Florida student garnered attention for his online projects tracking the movements of private jets owned by billionaires, politicians, and other notable individuals He uses publicly available data and volunteer help to log takeoffs, landings, and estimated emissions of these aircraft. Last year, his work ignited a debate about free speech. Twitter, now known as X, banned his accounts after Elon Musk deemed them a potential security threat.

Is it fair to scrutinise celebrity carbon footprints? Does public data translate to public property? The online discourse heats up while both sides await the next move in this jet-fuelled drama.