Meta has suspended several Threads and Instagram accounts that tracked the private jets of high-profile figures, including Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Kim Kardashian, and former US president Donald Trump.
The accounts were operated by Jack Sweeney, a Florida college student known for his interest in tracking the flights of prominent individuals. His accounts had gained significant followings, with some attracting thousands of followers who were keen to monitor the travel patterns of their favourite celebrities
Sweeney’s account dedicated to tracking Elon Musk’s private jet had garnered significant attention before its permanent suspension on Twitter in late 2022, a platform now owned by Musk. This tracking practice, while intriguing for many followers, raised serious privacy concerns.
In response to the recent suspensions of several accounts, Sweeney remarked on Threads that the situation felt “reminiscent of all my accounts getting suspended on Twitter.” The accounts, which relied on publicly available data to display the flight paths of private jets, initially showed a message stating, “The link you followed may be broken, or the page may have been removed.
A Meta spokesperson told TechCrunch, a leading technology news website, in an emailed statement, “Given the risk of physical harm to individuals, and in line with the independent Oversight Board’s recommendation, we have disabled these accounts for violating our privacy policy.”
However, according to Jack Sweeney, Meta provided no direct warning or explanation for the suspensions. He stated that the accounts appear “blacked out with no options to interact or receive information.”
Earlier, an account tracking Taylor Swift’s private jet was also deactivated after the singer's legal team threatened action in February, accusing Jack Sweeney of “stalking and harassing behaviour” if he didn’t cease.
Taylor Swift has been criticised for her carbon footprint and her alleged extensive private flights.
In May 2024, President Joe Biden signed the FAA Reauthorization Act, which permits private aircraft owners to anonymize their registration information. This legislation aims to enhance the privacy of high-profile individuals by reducing the public accessibility of flight details that were previously easy to track, However, Sweeney had indicated that monitoring high-profile individuals remains achievable. He mentioned that tips from fellow aviation enthusiasts and other sources still provide insights into flight activities.