Is this the worst CEO job in tech?

Hey everyone, it’s Kurt. On Wednesday, I published a story with colleague Sarah Frier about how TikTok is on the hunt for a new U.S.-based CEO. When I first heard about the job, I figured it would be the kind of sexy role tech executives would be willing to swap their bitcoin fortunes for. The app is growing like crazy, and has the kind of popularity with teenagers that makes Mark Zuckerberg want to clone it relentlessly. Who wouldn’t want that gig?

But the more I thought about it, the more I realized how difficult the job will be. The most obvious issue involves potential regulation. Because TikTok is owned by Chinese internet behemoth ByteDance Inc., the U.S. government is worried the app might pose a security threat. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. is even reviewing ByteDance’s 2017 purchase of Musical.ly, the app that ultimately became TikTok. This new CEO will have to put those concerns to bed, a daunting task given the current state of international relations with China.