California has passed a new law aimed at quieting down on blurry advertising on streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and Prime Video. California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the law into law on Monday.
Starting July 1, 2026, streaming services will not be allowed to “transmit commercial advertising audio that is louder than the video content to which the advertising accompanies,” according to the text of the bill.
“We have heard Californians loud and clear, and what is clear is that they do not want commercials louder than the level at which they have previously enjoyed their programs,” Governor Newsom said in a press release. “By signing SB 576, California is dialing this inconvenience across streaming platforms that were not subject to the commercial volume regulations passed by Congress in 2010.”
The law is modeled after the Commercial Advertising Loudness Miting (Calm) Act of 2010, which prohibited the audio of television commercials from being broadcast louder than they were broadcast. The new law requires streaming services to comply with the same commercial volume regulations as traditional television broadcasters in California.
Senate Bill 576 was authored by California State Senator Tom Amberg. He cited a complaint from his legislative director, Zach Keller, about him keeping Keller’s newborn baby, Samantha, awake.
“This bill was inspired by baby Samantha and all the exhausted parents who finally put their babies to sleep. “SB 576 will bring much-needed peace and quiet to California households by ensuring streaming ads are no louder than the shows they actually want to watch.”
Given California’s influence in the entertainment world, this law could put pressure on streaming platforms to cut back on noisy commercials across the country.
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