California is on the verge of implementing a law to regulate the volume of commercials on streaming services, such as Netflix, Hulu, and Prime Video. Senate Bill 576, authored by Senator Tom Umberg, aims to ensure that ads do not play louder than the shows they accompany. The bill, which passed the Legislature with bipartisan support, now awaits Governor Gavin Newsom’s signature, with a deadline of October 12.
The initiative was inspired by Richael Keller, whose newborn was repeatedly woken by loud streaming ads. Her husband, Zach Keller, serves as the legislative director for Senator Umberg. He was aware of the issue, but the disturbance to their family life spurred him to act. According to Los Angeles Times, the bill, if signed, would align with the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act, which regulates ad volume on broadcast and cable TV but not on streaming platforms.
Initially, the Motion Picture Association and the Streaming Innovation Alliance opposed the bill, arguing that streaming services cannot control ad volume on all devices. However, after an amendment preventing private lawsuits against streaming services, these groups shifted to a neutral stance, as reported by SFGATE.
The bill’s enforcement is set to begin in July 2026, allowing time for streaming platforms to adjust. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) may also expand its oversight to include streaming services, responding to ongoing consumer complaints about loud ads.
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