Why The TikTok Deal Could Blow Up In Its Buyer's Face
A series of under-appreciated risks make acquiring TikTok anything but a sure thing
![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F33679ae3-ce1a-4c92-9758-c4d35129f8a2_1610x1216.png)
As TikTok owner Bytedance prepares to sell the app’s U.S. operation, some are already calling the deal a bargain, or the next Instagram. But this acquisition is filled with risks that the popular discussion has largely ignored.
A social app is a delicate piece of merchandise, one that will break in the hands of people who don’t know what to do with it. T…