In late December, Swift’s camp hit Jack Sweeney, a junior studying information technology at the University of Central Florida, with a cease-and-desist letter that blamed his automated tracking of her private jet for tipping off stalkers as to her location. In the letter, attorneys from the law firm Venable accused Sweeney of effectively providing “individuals intent on harming her, or with nefarious or violent intentions, a roadmap to carry out their plans.”
Sweeney provided the link to that letter in an email to the Associated Press. In that message, he emphasized that while he has never intended to cause harm, he also believes strongly in the importance of transparency and public information.
“One should reasonably expect that their jet will be tracked, whether or not I’m the one doing it, as it is public information after all,” he wrote.
A spokesperson for Swift echoed the legal complaint, saying that “the timing of stalkers” suggests a connection to Sweeney’s flight-tracking sites. The spokesperson did not respond to questions seeking elaboration of that charge, such as whether stalkers have been seen waiting for Swift at the airport when her plane arrived or, alternatively, if there is evidence that stalkers have somehow inferred Swift’s subsequent location from the arrival time of her flight.
The legal letter likewise accuses Sweeney of “disregarding the personal safety of others”; “willful and repeated harassment of our client”; and “intentional, offensive, and outrageous conduct and consistent violations of our client’s privacy.”
Such statements are difficult to square with the fact that Sweeney’s automated tracking accounts merely repackage public data provided by the Federal Aviation Administration, a government agency. That fact did not dissuade the Venable attorneys, who demanded that Sweeney “immediately stop providing information about our client’s location to the public.”
I thought we went over this already? Public data is public.
Yes we did, with elon. He ended up banning the accounts on xitter, after saying he would not do so.
You can still find it on Mastodon though
I am also a bit lost as to why Swift would bring this suit. Most of her (work) trips are already public information, since being a public person is part of her job description. It’s a bit like the president complaining that we are tracking Airforce 1 when all news networks already report where he is going.
I think it’s cause you look less relatable to the average poor who’s spending $500 they can’t really afford to go watch you sing.
She could be getting legitimate death threats from Republicans not happy about her politics, which if it’s being published as a form of stochastic terrorism, there has been a legal limit on that as free speech.
Until someone trains an AI on it, then everyone loses their minds.
------ the point ------>
You
Nobody should have a private jet anyway.
You can’t have a private train car unless you’re an oil baron with a name like Charles crassus Taft
Baboo?!
He remembers me!
It’s like meowschwitz in here
cant tell if thats a real person or a hunger games character
What about billionaires?
Oh, I know what you’re going to say… “There shouldn’t be billionaires either”. Well guess what! You’re right. Fuck em both.
Didn’t Elon try something similar and lost in court? In case anyone is interested silicon jets tracks billionaires jets.
Edit: I confused silicone and silicon.
silicone
It’s silicon. Silicon is a naturally occurring chemical element, whereas silicone is a synthetic substance.
Silicon is for computer chips, silicone is for boobies.
now I’m thinking about jet shaped boobies
Silicone is also really nice for cooking utensils!
deleted by creator
silicone jets
Minor spelling mistake, but I wouldn’t be surprised to find some in those jets.
Yeah… I mean at the end he got Twitter and I think he kick him out… that was an expensive way to handle it I guess…
I mean it probably is still tracked somewhere else and maybe there are other accounts doing it no idea.
I mean it probably is still tracked somewhere else and maybe there are other accounts doing it no idea
The comment you replied to provided exactly that link…
Oh ok I thought that was somebody else unrelated to that guy.
Still not sure why all the downvotes I just added info that he was kicked out of Twitter… Ugh .
Interesting how as soon as someone becomes a billionaire they become a dickhead, at least publicly.
deleted by creator
I live under Iraq and this comment made me look up whether she’s a billionaire. Guess that’s why she’s been in the news so much lately. Jesus. I wish the billionaire count was going down, not up.
You mean under a rock? /c/boneappletea
He could be Kuwaiti?
That’s a hilarious geopolitical joke and I’m so happy you exist to make it
I sea that my engagement hack had the desired affect
GGWP
In the short-term more billionaires might be better. The more there are the more there are to claw at eachother’s throats. Hopefully they all kill eachother in the process.
Competition is sa capitalist myth. They’ll just end up working together to fuck us over more
As soon as us plebs start bending together. Billionaires will close ranks fast.
I believe the opposite, you need to have dickhead qualities to become a billionaire
This 10000000 percent. You can’t become that without being a horrible person. It entails having copious amounts of money than others could have instead.
This doesn’t seem like a dickheaded move to me. First, it was a C&D letter, which has no legal status, and second, the stalker thing is a legitimate concern, especially since the MAGA camp is all riled up about her.
But a stalker could just check the same publicly available information right?
All they’ve done is saved a little bit of effort for the stalker.
She could just not own a private jet and use a company instead.
A stalker could also check her concert schedule.
They make that highly sensitive info public?!?!
“highly sensitive”, LOL
Too late you are already getting a C&D from tay tays legal team
Yeap, this is a lot more to do with people utilizing his data to point out exactly how bad her private jet use is for the environment than it is about personal privacy.
It’s not like his data is giving any more information than her social media accounts or tour schedule. What exactly is a stalker supposed to do with the information? Are they going to break into the airport and then elude her security detail? Wouldn’t that be a lot harder than just following her after a show?
There’s a huge difference between the info being public and it being broadcasted in an easily-readable format with her plane number labelled.
Wouldn’t be a problem if she didn’t have a jet 🤷
Not for someone to be a stalker. You’re saying the only thing keeping some people from being a stalker is how easy the info is to find, or parse, even.
They’re not saying it is the only factor, only that it is a relevant factor. Which it obviously is.
info being public and it being broadcasted in an easily-readable format
What is the bar for difficult or easy to read data? Is a CSV difficult enough? How do you even quantify difficulty of readability to meet that standard? If I build a tool to parse that new data, does that mean every agency would have to change formats and make the data harder to read?
But like, shouldn’t she be taking it up with the FAA then? I’m sure you can apply for delay or exemption in extraordinary situations like this one undoubtedly is?
That is the source of the data after all. If you don’t actually stop the data source from publishing your data, others will continue to use it.
It’s a dumb approach that makes it look like a hurt ego thing rather than a legitimate concern.
It’s a lot cheaper to have your lawyers lean on a college student than it is to have them negotiate with the federal government.
Who’s easier to convince to change, the FAA or a college student?
FAA LADD and PIA programs are just there. Swift has no excuse outside of her getting called out for CO2.
This was a non issue when Musk did it. It continues to be a non issue whilst Swift does it. Aircraft enrolled in both programs do not prevent lookup databases from third parties from getting the data eventually, but prevents in most cases real-time tracking unless there’s literal people standing at the airport watching and reporting.
No, she’s just being petulant about this issue because she’s embarrassed that she’s being told her flying around in a private jet is destroying this planet we’re all living on.
The FAA. Have you met college students?
The FAA obviously. It’s publically available data, so it’s totally useless to keep one person from publishing the data when anyone can take over and continue.
The data comes from the FAA. It’s public data. All this guy has done is put an interface on it. Unless Swift’s legal team can prove that each individual stalker used an interface hosted by this guy I don’t see how he can be thought of as responsible for anything. And even if they did use an interface hosted by him, he’s still not doing anything other than showing public data. Data that the FAA clearly believe is in a legitimate public interest to make public. If she’s got an issue with that, they’re the people to go after.
Did you make the same noise when musk did it?
Another point goes to the Streisand Effect.
Considering the amount of MAGA creeps around, I’d reserve judgement on that. She must get 10 credible death threats a day.
deleted by creator
You talk tough when you don’t have lunatics threatening your life. But, then you can, can’t you.
deleted by creator
It’s called empathy my friend. You should try some.
deleted by creator
You misspelled not caring about anyone.
Removed by mod
Simp? Bwhahaha. Sorry I hit so close to the nerve.
Removed by mod
Please pay attention to our community rules, and tone down the insults.
That’s a good one too. You have a nice day.
And now more MAGA creeps know about it, and more trackers will pop up. Streisand Effect.
All it takes is one. Everybody can track planes if they want to. This guy just makes it easy. Everybody knows about him since Musk.
OK is making it easy a threat worth doing something about, or simply making public info easier to find? You’re trying to have it both ways. Is it “just easier” or a real threat?
Pick one.
I don’t see your logic here.
“All it takes is one.”
“Anyone can track planes.”
pick one.
Again, I don’t see your logic.
Sucks to be her then. She could just not fly around in her private jet so much if she’s so worried.
Everyone has a job to do. Her’s forces her to travel a lot. Yours may not.
She’s got enough $$ she doesn’t HAVE to do anything the rest of her life and still live extremely comfortably.
Her “job” doesn’t force her to do shit.
You don’t walk in her shoes. You don’t know what is or should be important to her. She may be wealthy, but maybe her personal value is something other than what you think it should be.
I don’t walk in her shoes. Yeah duh, if I did I wouldn’t be, because if I ever made 5 million I’d retire, buy a house, and live off interest comfortably the rest of my life. I don’t need any more than that (and technically don’t even need that, considering I don’t have it now and I’m not dead).
That’s you, not her. Like most successful people I suspect she has higher aspirations. Although I find her music a bit jingleistic, I suspect making it is important to her, perhaps even more than her bank account.
Well apparently the planet isn’t important to her.
Well here’s a wild idea, why not ride on a normal god damn plane like 90% of every other person who flies. Boom, can’t be traced by some kid then AND its better by a wide range for the environment. Nothing to see here but rich people problems lol
90%? More like 99.99% right?
You ever heard of the curse of being famous? Imagine everyone took a love potion and everyone knows your face. Everyone around you is staring at you and attempts to speak to you, touch you, they might even actually worship the ground you walk on. Not only those that love them are around, but those that want to do harm. Cut her hair and sell it, harm her to boast about it. Who knows?
That’s a fucking hell I’d not want to live. That is why they don’t fly normal. There’s a reason that high profile celebrities don’t fly with the rest. It’s not necessarily a status thing, but a safety thing. There’s a reason the president has secret service and a private jet.
She’s rich enough to hire a private jet if that’s the problem. I don’t feel sorry for her at all. Or any other billionaire having their jet tracked for that matter.
My work just sold it’s private jet in favor of hiring private jets to save money even, so it might even be more cost effective
She could ride in an anonymous tour bus, harder to track, she could even have a security convoy, and still save money and emissions. Billionaires are murdering us all, I have no sympathy for her or anyone with her wealth if they take private jets on trips that would take two hours to drive.
That. Is a fair argument.
She could even have a private railcar! Easier to track than a tour bus but has a significant cool factor right now.
I commented on another thread elsewhere that it would be cool if musicians did private railcars and private trains, because just imagine the collaborations and how it would affect both rail infrastructure and musical tours. Plus the opportunities for media and fan interactions become so much cooler than with a cramped tour bus
The president of my very violent country flies economy on public flights. I think she could have a few bodyguards in first class with her and be fine.
The president of my very violent country flies on two 747s.
The tiny tetchy millionaire prime minister of my country uses a helicopter to get everywhere domestically.
I mean the average for my whole country is the same as the average for the most violent cities in the USA so I think I win.
Congratulations.
You ever heard of the curse of being famous?
🤢🤮
You don’t have to own a plane to charter a private flight. She could just take private planes and not have to deal with crowds of people. Then you wouldn’t be able to track her plane, because she would be taking different planes. This is how most famous people deal with the issue.
You right. Makes more sense that way imo
Sorry, but this isn’t a reasonable take. Someone like Taylor Swift cannot go into the public without it being a huge security risk. This isn’t a TS thing, this is a “being the most famous person ever right this moment” thing.
Okay but she’s actively choosing to be that famous. She spent 6 years with Joe living a quiet low key life, but she decided to do another breakout into more fame and this is the cost. Plus she could charter jets like other celebrities, or idk just not fly home every weekend from halfway across the world?
She could just rent a different jet each time. Would still pollute, wouldn’t stress out a college kid, would be more difficult for stalkers to track, wouldn’t have drawn as much attention.
And thousands of MAGA maniacs now thinking she is some villain. I bet she’s getting tons of death threats now. First AI porn, then conspiracy nutjobs on FOX news, then everybody is projecting the worlds failure to act on climate change on her (brilliant piece of fox news propaganda I must say now), and now this. It’s really not her week lol.
This is it exactly.
Maybe she should buy twitter and ban the guy, or is this the wrong billionaire I am thinking of?
The guy is on Mastodon, tough luck on that one.
Buy the federated instance!
I’s she also going to sue Ticketmaster and her own PR team for publicly releasing every city she’s going to in her tours?
No but she will sue anyone who repeats it
I hereby sure myself for publishing information about my location in my Instagram posts. Continued posting clearly shows a blatant disregard of my safety and feelings.
Yeeeeah… I understand her not wanting it to be easier for stalkers to track her, but also private jets are a luxury that’s very bad for the environment, and the information is public anyway. Swift shouldn’t win this one.
Stalkers already can access this information. Also I’m expected to believe they get this information and somehow arrive at her destination before her?
If she has scheduled a concert in a particular city, they could already be there and just watch the planes.
But you’d think she has body guards for that.
So 1) she has already announced where she’s going to be and
2) flight records are publicly available already.
Lol, I love that article. The author clearly also thinks that Taylor and her goons are full of shit on this one. Like, it’s public information provided by the FAA. Will they sue the FAA then?
Maybe the FAA is unconstitutional.
Probably all of the letter agencies cross that line.
No, they don’t. They were created by acts of Congress to be run by the Executive branch.
Publicly available information from the FAA. Simple as.
Both of her planes are blocked at the vendor level, which means they don’t show up on the ASDI feed from the FAA. Her flights are tracked by volunteers at places like flightaware who have their own ADS-B transceivers in their homes
I’m team Florida student.
It sounds tough being a billionaire. She should give it all up.
We’ll take the clothes, cash, cars, and homes, just stop complainin
She “disregards” everyone’s safety by flying in a private jet.
Flying commercial would be disregarding everyone’s safety.
deleted by creator
The stalker argument is absolute bullshit. A stalker would most likely not use the flight path of Swift’s private jet as a means of stalking her; it would be too cumbersome. Additionally, this is not “willful and repeated harassment” of Swift since Mr. Sweeny, as stated in the title and the article, obtained the information from public data provided by FAA. The intent of Mr. Sweeny’s tracking project was not to expose Swift to nefarious individuals but to expose the environmental impact of her private jet. The rich and famous are public figures and, as such, are open to criticism from the public. This is merely a flex (and a futile one at that) by someone with the resources to silence critics.
Yeah and how many different ways would a stalker have to find a famous person. She goes to concerts and events all the time, the stalkers know where those places are.
Exactly!
