Taylor Swift has recently been under fire for her obsession with flying private.
In December, Swift filed a lawsuit against college student Jack Sweeney of the University of Central Florida, who runs the X account Taylor Swift Jets (Tracking). The suit accuses Sweeney of sharing private information that has allowed stalkers access to the Grammy-winning artist.
USA Today reported that tracking flights in the United States is more than legal. Websites that make tracking accessible allow consumers to look at on-time records which include private jets.
Sweeney told the Washington Post that Swift’s lawyers blasted him with letters that his account has allowed people to “stalk, harass, and exert dominion and control” over the pop star. Swifties are livid that their chart-topping goddess is upset about her alleged lack of privacy, but others are criticizing her for being ignorant of her private jet’s emissions.
On Jan. 31, Sweeney shared a post on X that drove the internet nuts.
The problem with this post is not with Swift’s whereabouts, but the absurdity of the fact that she took a flight for such a short amount of time, just 13 minutes. Attached to this post, Sweeney shared that in just this flight alone, Swift used 530 pounds of jet fuel and released 0.8342 tons of carbon dioxide.
While celebrities are concerned for their privacy, Swift’s actions are indefensible. She has been called out for her non-climate-conscious actions before, as The Economic Times crowned Swift the biggest individual polluter two years in a row.
Sweeney not only tracks Taylor, but other celebrities such as the Kardashians and Elon Musk. The college student told The Associated Press that he did not intend to cause harm but believes in spreading public information and transparency.
On his account, Sweeney does not share the information he collects right away but delays it to protect Swift’s location.
Legality aside, Swift’s choice to excessively release carbon emissions is inexcusable. She is currently touring worldwide and finished her first US leg of the Eras Tour last year, but traveling small distances to watch her NFL boyfriend Travis Kelce seems absurd.
The Swift fandom is quick to call out anyone who shows any dislike for the singer, but will ironically not acknowledge the careless actions she does for the sake of her “privacy.”
