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California Regulates Streaming Ad Volumes: A Relief for Viewers
• Politics, Technology, California, law, advertisements, volume, streaming services, Governor Gavin Newsom, FCC, CALM Act, echosphere.news, California Regulates Streaming Ad Volumes: A Relief for Viewers
In a groundbreaking initiative, California has enacted a law mandating that streaming advertisements cannot exceed the volume of the primary content, addressing long-standing viewer complaints.
A new law in California is aimed at stopping advertisements from pumping up the volume on streaming services.
The law, which states advertisements cannot be louder than the primary video content being watched, builds on a federal law that regulates ad volume on broadcast television and cable stations to now include streaming platforms.
Opponents, including the influential entertainment industry, had argued it would be difficult to implement because streaming services do not have the same control over ad volume as broadcasters.
California is home to the headquarters of streaming platforms like Netflix and Hulu, while Amazon produces many of its Prime Video shows and movies in the state.
In 2010, Congress passed the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act to lower the volume of commercials on TV and radio stations.
The law signed by Governor Gavin Newsom mandates that streaming services comply with this federal regulation. The services were still in their infancy when the CALM Act was enacted but have since become the primary viewing option in many American households.
We heard Californians loud and clear, and they don't want commercials at a volume any louder than the level at which they were previously enjoying a program, Newsom stated.
Existing federal law requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to develop regulations that mandate commercials to maintain the same average volume as the accompanying programs, according to the new bill.
The FCC received thousands of complaints regarding loud commercials over the years, many concerning streaming services.
This law, effective from July 1, 2026, prohibits video streaming services serving consumers in California from transmitting the audio of commercial advertisements louder than the content being viewed.
State Senator Thomas Umberg, who introduced the bill, noted it was inspired by a personal incident involving a loud ad waking his legislative director's infant daughter, Samantha.
While the Motion Picture Association and the Streaming Innovation Alliance initially opposed the bill, they later became neutral after amendments that included legal protection for streaming services.
Streaming ads come from various sources and cannot be practically controlled, stated Melissa Patack, vice-president of state government affairs for the Motion Picture Association.
The law's passage represents a significant step in addressing viewer frustrations and enhancing the streaming experience.