Want to track the apocalypse? Follow the billionaires’ jets.
The Washington Post
Overall Assessment
The article blends art criticism, social commentary, and data journalism to explore public distrust of the ultra-wealthy through the lens of a satirical tracking project. It leans into cultural narratives about inequality and apocalypse preparedness, using emotionally resonant examples. While well-sourced, its framing prioritizes engagement over neutral explanation.
"Billionaire moguls, once something to aspire to, are now seen as money-grubbers by large swaths of the population who believe that no one individual should hold such vast wealth."
Loaded Language
Headline & Lead 65/100
The article reports on an art project by Kyle McDonald that tracks private jet movements as a satirical 'apocalypse early warning system,'.' It explores public anxiety about wealth inequality and elite preparedness for disasters, citing expert commentary and socioeconomic data. While engaging, the framing leans into cultural critique more than hard news, blending art, commentary, and reporting.
✕ Sensationalism: The headline uses dramatic language ('apocalypse') and frames the tracking of private jets as a potential early warning system for global catastrophe, which risks exaggerating the project’s actual purpose and scientific credibility.
"Want to track the apocalypse? Follow the billionaires’ jets."
✕ Narrative Framing: The headline and lead frame the story as a speculative, almost satirical commentary on wealth inequality, using the metaphor of apocalypse to draw attention, which may overshadow the factual reporting on a data-art project.
"Might the oligarchs of the world know — or be warned — in advance of a nuclear apocalypse?"
Language & Tone 70/100
The tone blends factual reporting with cultural commentary, often emphasizing public resentment toward the wealthy. While it includes quotes from the artist and an expert, the language frequently amplifies emotional and moral judgments about inequality. Objectivity is compromised by rhetorical flourishes and selective emphasis on populist sentiment.
✕ Loaded Language: Phrases like 'money-grubbers' and 'oligarchs' carry strong negative connotations, shaping perception of the wealthy in a critical light, which undermines neutrality.
"Billionaire moguls, once something to aspire to, are now seen as money-grubbers by large swaths of the population who believe that no one individual should hold such vast wealth."
✕ Appeal to Emotion: References to public glee over orcas sinking yachts and seizures of Russian oligarchs’ assets evoke populist sentiment rather than focusing on factual developments.
"People have cheered when orcas sank yachts belonging to the upper echelon, and watched with glee as Russian oligarchs’ yachts were tracked and seized after the invasion of Ukraine."
✕ Editorializing: The article includes value-laden commentary on wealth concentration without balancing it with perspectives defending wealth accumulation or philanthropy.
"The top 1 percent of the population holds 31.9 percent of total wealth, according to the Federal Reserve. The bottom half holds 2.5 percent."
Balance 80/100
The article draws on credible sources including the artist, a documented author, and official data from the Federal Reserve. It avoids anonymous sourcing and clearly identifies viewpoints. However, it lacks voices from the tech or financial elite who might offer counterpoints to the critique of prepper culture.
✓ Proper Attribution: Key claims are attributed to specific individuals or institutions, such as McDonald and the Federal Reserve, enhancing transparency.
"According to the Federal Reserve."
✓ Comprehensive Sourcing: The article includes the artist’s intent, an expert opinion from Douglas Rushkoff, and reference to his published work, offering multiple informed perspectives.
"As I asked the billionaires, ‘How are you going to pay your Navy SEALs to protect your compound once your Bitcoin’s worthless?’” he said."
Completeness 75/100
The article provides background on wealth inequality and elite prepper culture, and situates the project within McDonald’s history of surveillance art. However, it omits technical details about the tracker’s reliability or historical performance, and does not clarify how 'emergency levels' are algorithmically determined.
✕ Framing by Emphasis: The article emphasizes societal anxiety and wealth resentment as the primary context for the project, potentially downplaying its nature as speculative art rather than a functional early warning system.
"McDonald’s project uses publicly available flight data to track the locations of private and business charter jets, planes often boarded by the super rich, and chart a “historic emergency level.”"
✕ Omission: There is no discussion of the technical limitations or false positive risks of using jet movement as an indicator, nor any evaluation of past 'spikes' in the tracker’s readings.
Ultra-wealthy portrayed as corrupt and morally bankrupt
[loaded_language] and [appeal_to_emotion]: Use of emotionally charged terms like 'money-grubbers' and emphasis on public schadenfreude toward elite losses frames the wealthy as untrustworthy and exploitative.
"Billionaire moguls, once something to aspire to, are now seen as money-grubbers by large swaths of the population who believe that no one individual should hold such vast wealth."
Working class portrayed as excluded but morally resilient
[narrative_framing] and [appeal_to_emotion]: Positions the working class as locked in a 'battle' with the ultra-wealthy, framing them as collectively aware and hopeful despite systemic exclusion.
"“I want people to laugh. I hope they see it and they feel the sort of humor of our situation — that we’re locked in a battle between the ultra-wealthy and the working class,” McDonald said."
Society framed as in crisis due to extreme wealth disparity
[framing_by_emphasis] and [editorializing]: Selective emphasis on wealth concentration statistics without counter-narratives amplifies a sense of societal breakdown.
"The top 1 percent of the population holds 31.9 percent of total wealth, according to the Federal Reserve. The bottom half holds 2.5 percent."
Public fascination with elite downfall framed as harmful populist sentiment
[appeal_to_emotion]: Highlights public 'glee' at oligarchs’ misfortunes, suggesting a cultural shift toward resentment rather than constructive dialogue.
"People have cheered when orcas sank yachts belonging to the upper echelon, and watched with glee as Russian oligarchs’ yachts were tracked and seized after the invasion of Ukraine."
Surveillance culture portrayed as threatening to civil liberties
[narrative_framing] and background context: Links the jet-tracking project to McDonald’s history of controversial surveillance art, implying broader unease with monitoring practices.
"Another app led the Secret Service to raid his home nearly 15 years ago, after he installed a program on computers at a New York City Apple store to capture pictures of people staring at screens."
The article blends art criticism, social commentary, and data journalism to explore public distrust of the ultra-wealthy through the lens of a satirical tracking project. It leans into cultural narratives about inequality and apocalypse preparedness, using emotionally resonant examples. While well-sourced, its framing prioritizes engagement over neutral explanation.
An artist-developed system tracks private jet movements using public flight data, assigning an 'emergency level' based on deviations from baseline activity. The project, presented as speculative art, aims to provoke discussion about elite preparedness and societal anxiety. Experts note it reflects cultural concerns more than serves as a functional warning system.
The Washington Post — Business - Tech
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