In a move aimed at restoring peace to living rooms across the state, California Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday signed Senate Bill 576 into law, banning excessively loud commercials on streaming platforms.
The legislation, which takes effect July 1, 2026, mandates that advertisements on services such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime must not exceed the volume of the programming they interrupt.
This marks the first time streaming services have been subjected to such regulation, expanding the scope of the federal Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act of 2010.
“We heard Californians loud and clear,” Newsom said during the signing ceremony. “They don’t want commercials blasting louder than the shows they’re watching.”
The bill was reportedly inspired by a legislative aide whose newborn was repeatedly disturbed by jarring ad volume spikes.
For years, viewers have complained about the sudden need to scramble for the remote during ad breaks.
With many major streaming companies headquartered in California, the law is expected to influence national standards and prompt similar regulations in other states.
Industry experts say streaming platforms will need to adjust their audio algorithms to comply with the new rules or face penalties.
Ravenewsonline reports that the law has been welcomed by consumer advocacy groups and families alike, who see it as a long-overdue measure to improve the streaming experience.
