A Thorn in Musk’s Side

This week, a 19-year-old computer whiz made headlines by turning down a $5,000 offer from Elon Musk to shut down his Twitter account. The account in question, which tracks Musk’s private jet, was even blocked by the wildly wealthy entrepreneur. However, Jack Sweeney was not inclined to acquiesce to the Tesla founder’s request. Indicating that it would take a lot more money than a mere $5,000 to shut him down, the young space enthusiast has doubled down on his efforts to track Elon.

@ElonJet: The Twitter Account to Watch

With almost 310,000 followers to date, Sweeney’s brainchild is a hotspot for Musk lovers and haters alike. When he posts that Musk’s jet has touched down in Texas, for example, the information is often commented on by those who want to protect Musk’s privacy — and those who believe that the billionaire’s movements should be on record. In a climate that seems incredibly divided, the mixed public reaction to Sweeney’s account is telling indeed. Although many followers questioned why Musk would offer such a low amount to Sweeney, others opined that if Musk did shell out a huge sum, there would be many others following in Sweeney’s footsteps. In this scenario, there might be no end as to how many people could try to get in on the action, effectively ensuring that Musk’s plane is watched at all times.

Sweeny Offered Advice

Although the young tracker turned down Musk’s paltry offer, he did offer the SpaceX impresario some advice as to how to help his jet avoid detection. If Sweeney’s recent Twitter posts are true, however, it would appear that he has managed to breach Musk’s defenses once again. Also, it would seem that Musk’s pilots are mounting some kind of an offense, sometimes flying in strange patterns. Sweeney has theorized that perhaps they are testing ways to avoid detection while up in the air. Also, it bears stating that Musk may not always be on his jet. The Twitter account has no idea whether or not the mogul is onboard at any time. However, it is quick to note when the plane takes off and lands. Some in the Twitter comments have suggested that the jet’s impact on the environment could also be included in the stats. Indeed, it would appear that Elon Musk has finally met his match in Sweeney.