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

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…