Pecohub In a move aimed at enhancing user privacy and security, Meta has announced the removal of private jet tracking accounts from its platforms, Instagram and Threads.
It’s now harder to know where celebrities are flying to and their carbon emissions, with Meta shutting down Instagram and Threads accounts devoted to tracking private jets, TechCrunch reports.
“Given the risk of physical harm to individuals, and in keeping with the independent Oversight Board’s recommendation, we’ve disabled these accounts for violating our privacy policy,” Meta told the publication.
Deleted accounts include those tracking the flights of Taylor Swift, Bill Gates and, the head of Meta himself, Mark Zuckerberg.
Jack Sweeney, a college student in his early 20s who runs the accounts, confirmed the news on his personal account.
It’s the latest in a line of pushback he has faced in the past. In Late 2022, Elon Musk suspended Sweeney’s @ElonJet account — which tracked Musk’s flights — on X (then Twitter).
He soon made an account with the handle @ElonJetNextDay to post Musk’s flights with a one day delay.
Then, one year later, Taylor Swift’s lawyers sent Sweeney a cease-and-desist letter stating, “While this may be a game to you, or an avenue that you hope will earn you wealth or fame, it is a life-or-death matter for our Client.”
These accounts, which previously shared real-time flight data of private jets owned by high-profile individuals and celebrities, have come under increasing scrutiny for privacy concerns.
The decision comes amid rising debates over the balance between transparency and personal privacy. Private jet tracking has been a controversial topic, with some advocates supporting the public’s right to know about the environmental impact of frequent private jet usage, while others argue that such tracking exposes individuals to potential security risks.
Meta’s spokesperson stated, “We are committed to ensuring our platforms are safe for all users, and the dissemination of sensitive real-time location data raises significant privacy and security concerns. As a result, we have taken the step to ban accounts that violate our policies on location sharing.”
This policy change follows similar actions taken by other tech companies, responding to growing pressure from public figures and users alike. Some critics, however, argue that this sets a precedent for further restrictions on transparency. The banned accounts had gained massive followings by posting information about the travel patterns of high-profile figures, often sparking debates about their environmental footprint.
Despite Meta’s decision, flight tracking remains publicly available through other sources, as the data comes from government-mandated flight tracking services. However, Meta’s crackdown represents a significant shift in how such information can be shared on its platforms.
As privacy concerns continue to evolve, it remains to be seen how other social media giants will address the delicate balance between user safety and public transparency.
