A forthcoming book titled “Battle for the Bird” claims Elon Musk’s interest in acquiring the social media platform was sparked by a disagreement with former CEO Parag Agrawal over the fate of the @ElonJet account.
Authored by Bloomberg reporter Kurt Wagner, the book asserts that Musk sought to have the account, operated by Jack Sweeney to track Musk’s private jet using publicly available information, shut down. However, Agrawal reportedly refused Musk’s request, prompting the tech mogul to explore acquiring Twitter instead.
The @ElonJet account, one of many run by Sweeney to track high-profile individuals, had become a source of irritation for Musk, who allegedly petitioned Agrawal to remove it. When his efforts proved unsuccessful, Musk began buying shares of Twitter and eventually engaged in discussions with founder Jack Dorsey.
Chief Twit
In October 2022, Musk finalised the acquisition of Twitter for a staggering $44 billion, shortly after which he assumed the title of “Chief Twit” and instigated significant changes within the company. Among these changes was the suspension of @ElonJet, along with several journalists, from the platform.
Despite Musk’s attempts to wield influence over Twitter’s operations, Sweeney swiftly resumed posting on @ElonJet approximately 24 hours after Musk threatened legal action. The college student shrugged off Musk’s threats, suggesting they were a bluff, but expressed readiness to see how events unfolded.
Disclosing location
In addition to his clash with Musk, Sweeney has also faced opposition from other prominent figures, including musician Taylor Swift, whose legal team threatened him with legal action over his tracking accounts. Swift’s representatives accused Sweeney of jeopardising her safety by disclosing her locations, a matter compounded by her previous encounters with stalkers.
While Swift’s representatives hinted at potential connections between the timing of stalkers’ actions and Sweeney’s posts, the musician herself has taken steps to mitigate risks, including selling one of her private jets.
As details from “Battle for the Bird” continue to emerge, they shed light on the complex interactions between high-profile individuals, social media platforms, and online tracking accounts, highlighting the challenges of privacy and accountability in the digital age.
