WASHINGTON (WWLP) - Senator Ed Markey announced plans to introduce a bill that would extend the deadline for the TikTok ban.  Supreme Court seems likely to uphold a federal law that could force TikTok to shut down on Jan. 19 According to a news release from his office, the "Extend the TikTok Deadline Act" would give the app's parent company, ByteDance, an extra 270 days to find a buyer. Markey argues that the TikTok ban is not based on evidence and directly conflicts with the First Amendment, undermining the rights of over 170 million Americans who use the platform. Supporters of the ban say Chinese-owned ByteDance could be accessing American's personal information.  POLL: Do you support the U.S. government banning TikTok? WATCH: Senator Markey’s Floor Remarks “As the January 19th deadline approaches, TikTok creators and users across the nation are understandably alarmed. They are uncertain about the future of the platform, their accounts, and the vibrant online communities they have cultivated. These communities cannot be replicated on another app. A ban would dismantle a one-of-a-kind informational and cultural ecosystem, silencing millions in the process. The stakes here are high. That’s why I will soon introduce the Extend the TikTok Deadline Act to extend the deadline by which ByteDance must sell TikTok or face a ban by an additional 270 days. Let me be clear: TikTok has its problems. Like every social media platform, TikTok poses a serious risk to the privacy and mental health of our young people. I will continue to hold TikTok accountable for such behavior. But a TikTok ban would impose serious consequences on millions of Americans who depend on the app for social connections and their economic livelihood. We cannot allow that to happen.” Senator Ed Markey Markey, along with Sen. Ran Paul (R-Ky.) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), submitted an amicus brief last month urging the Supreme Court to not uphold the ban. They argued the ban is not backed up by evidence and violates the First Amendment. Local News Headlines School bus, car involved in crash at Springfield intersection Ware man faces 6 charges including sexual contact with animals “Pig butchering” schemes on the rise: What to know Wildfires in Massachusetts and California prompt safety reminder as open burning season begins WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.