Taylor Swift just can’t seem to catch a break. Whether she’s topping the charts or just living her life, she always seems to be the center of controversy. While her fans will defend her at all costs, there’s also a dedicated group of critics waiting for any reason to drag her name through the mud.

Now, a viral video is making the rounds, accusing Swift of abusing her privilege in the most absurd way possible. According to the clip, she’s not just taking private flights-she’s allegedly taking flights so short they barely register. Beyond the sheer extravagance, the real controversy stems from the environmental impact of these supposed micro-flights.

Cue the backlash

The internet erupted when claims surfaced that Taylor had taken a 40-second flight in her private jet. Yes, you read that right-40 seconds from Los Angeles to Santa Monica. The accusations, however, have not been verified, and the viral content was actually created using a flight simulator. But just the thought of Swift potentially making such a move was enough to send her critics into a frenzy, slamming her for what would be an outrageous waste of fuel and an unnecessary environmental disaster.

The threats started rolling in, and Taylor’s security team had to step in. Concerned for her safety, Swift’s team pushed to shut down the account tracking her private jet usage, arguing that it gave stalkers yet another reason to target her. In fact, her lawyers previously claimed that Jack Sweeney’s flight-tracking posts were putting her and her family at risk, causing them “direct and irreparable harm” along with severe emotional distress, as reported by The Washington Post.

Things escalated quickly

Let’s be clear-a 40-second flight would be ridiculous, reckless, and flat-out harmful. But as of now, there’s no concrete evidence that it actually happened. The bigger issue is that, whether real or not, the claim has only added fuel to the fire of criticism against Swift. And let’s be honest-she does rank among the highest CO2 emitters when it comes to private jet usage.

Taylor’s Falcon jets spent 364 hours in the air in 2023, releasing a staggering 1,216 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere, according to aviation tracker JetSpy via The Associated Press. To put that into perspective, that’s the equivalent of what 81 average U.S. households produce in an entire year.

Those numbers are hard to ignore, and they certainly don’t do Taylor any favors in the court of public opinion. Environmentalists have essentially canceled her, and it’s not without reason. The issue isn’t just Swift-it’s a growing problem with the ultra-wealthy and their access to private jets. Many of these flights carry only a handful of people, while commercial options could easily transport them to the same destinations with far less environmental damage. It’s a luxury that’s becoming harder to justify, and celebrities like Taylor Swift are right in the middle of the debate.