14-time Grammy winner Taylor Swift has recently found herself at the center of a massive controversy. Known for her chart-topping hits and sold-out tours, Swift’s means of travel—her private jet—has recently been thrust into the limelight for the environmental footprint it leaves behind. Things heated up even more when her legal team apparently threatened to sue the college kid who’s been keeping tabs on her jet flights on social media.
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According to a report by the Guardian, the individual at the center of this legal storm is Jack Sweeney, a diligent student from the University of Central Florida. Sweeney, through his social media prowess, has been meticulously documenting the private jet travels of Swift, among other celebrities, to highlight their carbon footprints.
Jack Sweeney’s project, which taps into info that anyone can find online from the FAA and aircraft signals, has really put him in the spotlight, even landing him a place in Forbes 30 under 30. Taylor Swift’s lawyers, from a firm called Venable in Washington, D.C., are alleging that Jack crossed a line, calling what he’s doing “stalking and harassing.”
The people speaking for Swift are making the case that nobody really needs to know where her jet is flying, citing concern that it could even be dangerous for her because she’s had issues with stalkers before.
sending a cease and desist letter over “stalking and harassing” to jack sweeney, a 21 year old college student, because he informed the public and outed you for being the climate terrorist that you are?? oh taylor swift, they could never make me like you! pic.twitter.com/gCClcOtNkz
— lovey (@loveydelgaga) February 6, 2024
This recent development has got a lot of Swift’s fans talking. Some feel that the legal move is too harsh, arguing that since the data is out there for anyone to see, Jack’s not doing anything wrong by sharing it. They feel like going after a college student like this is just too ‘cruel’.
Taylor Swift’s Environmental Impact Examined
It’s no secret that Taylor Swift has become quite a regular presence at the Chiefs’ games recently after getting linked up with NFL superstar Travis Kelce. As the Super Bowl LVIII inches closer, where Killa Trav is set to lock horns against the 49ers for his third Super Bowl ring, people are once again talking about the carbon footprint Swift is about to create while traveling to Las Vegas.
Traveling from Tokyo, where TayTay is currently on tour, to Sin City would result in significant carbon dioxide emissions, with estimates suggesting more than 200,000 pounds of CO2 for such a trip, as per FastCompany.
This figure starkly contrasts with the emissions of an average American household, spotlighting the environmental impact of celebrity jet travel. Swift’s team has countered criticism by noting her purchase of carbon offsets, exceeding the emissions from her private jet usage during her Eras Tour. They also allege that the Pop Sensation often leads her jets to others.
While Swift faces the brunt of public scrutiny, the phenomenon is not isolated to her, as many high-profile figures rely on private jets for their travel needs. Supporters of Swift argue that the focus on her, rather than the wider use of private jets across the globe, underscores a selective outrage. They point out that while Swift’s travels are in the spotlight, many other celebrities and business moguls who frequently fly private remain out of the critical eye.
