Audio By Carbonatix
Earlier this week, 19-year-old Jack Sweeney won a bit of internet fame when Protocol published a story about one of his Twitter bots.
The college student maintains ElonJet, a tracker that tweets out when Elon Musk’s private jet takes off and lands.
Sweeney has several other such bots that use publicly available air traffic data to follow the private planes of celebrities like Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos.
However, with 180,000 followers and counting, the ElonJet account is by far Sweeney’s most famous creation. And it’s that popularity that attracted none other than Elon Musk to the bot.
Landed in Austin, Texas, US. pic.twitter.com/4l7tKiUspp
— Elon Musk's Jet (@ElonJet) January 26, 2022
Last fall, the entrepreneur contacted Sweeney about ElonJet. “Can you take this down? It is a security risk,” he said, according to Protocol.
Musk told Sweeney he would give him $5,000 to delete the account and keep “crazy people” from finding out his whereabouts. Sweeney made a counteroffer. “Any chance to up that to $50k? It would be great support in college and would possibly allow me to get a car maybe even a Model 3.”
Musk told him he would think about it, but the two haven’t spoken since. At the time, Sweeney told Protocol he wasn’t bothered by Musk ghosting him.
His work on ElonJet had taught him how to code and landed him a part-time job with a company called UberJets. Plus, as a self-proclaimed fan, he got to share a conversation with one of his idols.
Now the teen seems to have changed his tune. In a new interview with Business Insider, he said he decided to go public with Musk’s offer after the billionaire seemingly lost interest in cutting a deal.
"He went the opposite way of me, so why wouldn't I go the opposite way of him?" he asked the publication. "I've done a lot of work on this and $5,000 is not enough," Sweeney said.
He told Business Insider the initial offer wouldn’t replace the “fun” he’s had working on the bot.
It doesn’t seem like Musk has any interest in negotiating with Sweeney.
Following their initial conversation, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO implemented some of the technical advice Sweeney gave him to make his jet harder to track.
At the time, Musk reportedly also told Sweeney it didn’t “feel right to pay to shut this down.” He probably has a point.
Latest Stories
-
SSNIT eyes more financial investments to boost returns as total assets grow to GHS36bn
4 minutes -
EC to review CI 127, introduce dedicated portal for election results
12 minutes -
Ho Assembly destroys expired food products seized from warehouses
18 minutes -
Over 1,000 NDC women petition A-G for Sedina’s release, Volta youth group backs call
30 minutes -
Most White Volta residents evacuated ahead of Bagre Dam spillage — NADMO
33 minutes -
La Nkwantanang-Madina MCE orders probe into alleged chemical ripening of fruits
38 minutes -
EOCO must name all persons linked to Berko bribery scheme — NPP communicator
40 minutes -
Prophet Emmanuel Adjei leads powerful prophetic encounters at ‘Born to Prophesy 2026’
46 minutes -
Bagre Dam spillage: NADMO secures temporary shelters for potential flood victims
47 minutes -
NALAG President charges assembly members to keep ‘eagle eye’ on public funds
49 minutes -
Mahama must probe $1.7bn GoldBod loss – Abena Osei-Asare
1 hour -
Ousted Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad sentenced to death in absentia
1 hour -
Assin Fosu court orders mental examination for woman accused of assaulting 10-year-old daughter
1 hour -
Vice President calls for sustainable livelihoods, stronger protection for Kayayei
2 hours -
Family, passengers injured in ghastly road crash at Ejisu
2 hours