California’s New Law to Curb Noisy Streaming Advertisements Goes Into Effect on July 1
Streaming advertisements may soon become less intrusive.
Starting Wednesday, July 1, a new law in California will prohibit streaming platforms from broadcasting ads that are louder than the accompanying video content. This follows similar volume control measures already imposed on traditional broadcast and cable television commercials.
Reports indicate that streaming companies have not yet provided specifics on how they intend to adhere to the new regulation. Although the law currently applies only within California, it is likely that any necessary adjustments will be implemented across the board, especially given that a comparable law is set to launch in Illinois next year.
When the legislation was enacted in 2025, State Senator Thomas Umberg, its creator, remarked that it was motivated by the plight of “every tired parent who has finally managed to put a baby to sleep, only for a loud streaming advertisement to disrupt that effort.”
Opposition to the bill came from industry organizations such as the Motion Picture Association of America and the Streaming Innovation Alliance. They argued that streaming services were already taking steps to tackle this issue and highlighted the complexities of dealing with various output devices like televisions, tablets, and phones.
