The lawyer for Jack Sweeney, a college student who tracks Taylor Swift’s private jet on social media, has fired back at the singer’s legal team, arguing that his client’s actions are perfectly legal.
Sweeney uses publicly available data from the Federal Aviation Administration to track the flights of high-profile individuals, including Swift and notes the carbon emissions from each flight. Swift’s lawyers had demanded that Sweeney stop tracking and sharing her flight information, threatening legal action if he didn’t comply.
Taylor Swift
However, Sweeney’s lawyer, James Slater, argues that his client is engaged in protected speech and is not violating Swift’s rights. “Your letter’s tone of alarm is unfounded,” Slater wrote in a response letter.
“Our clients’ website only provides the location of private jets using publicly available information. That information poses no threat to Ms. Swift’s safety.”
Slater also pushed back on Swift’s attorney’s claim that Sweeney’s actions constitute stalking, saying that his client has made no credible threats against the singer.
The legal dispute has drawn attention to Swift’s use of private jets and the resulting carbon emissions, which have been criticized by some as hypocritical given her environmental advocacy.
Sweeney’s accounts, which also track the flights of other celebrities and billionaires, aim to highlight the impact of private jet use on the environment.
Swift’s legal team has yet to respond to Slater’s letter, but the singer’s fans have rallied around her, accusing Sweeney of invasion of privacy and stalking. The case raises important questions about privacy, free speech, and the public’s right to know about the activities of high-profile individuals.
