Streaming platforms are facing new regulations to prevent the volume from increasing during commercial breaks.
A new legislative measure in a U.S. state is targeting this issue, requiring platforms such as Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, and YouTube to adhere to these rules.
Beginning July 1, 2026, these services will need to ensure that the volume of advertisements matches the regular content, aligning with efforts to increase advertising revenue.
YouTube introduced mid-roll ads in 2020, setting a precedent followed by other streaming services.
Netflix introduced a tiered subscription model in 2022, offering a more affordable option that includes advertisements.
In 2024, Prime Video also implemented ‘limited’ ads, but users have noted an increase in their frequency.
Viewers in the U.S. have observed that commercials are often played at a louder volume than the streaming content.
This has posed challenges for parents of young children, who find the sudden volume spikes disruptive to their sleeping babies.
State senator Tom Umberg shared that his staff member, Zach Keller, faced the issue of loud commercials disturbing his baby daughter’s sleep.
Zach’s wife, Rachel Keller, explained to CBS News: “A lot of times, we have the volume so low that we just have subtitles running and still, the commercial ad volumes are so ear-piercing that it wakes her up.”
Currently, California is the only state taking legislative action against loud commercials.
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 576 into law on Monday (October 6), aiming to stop this practice.
The proposal was initially introduced by Umberg in February, but will not take effect until July 1, 2026.
“We heard Californians loud and clear, and what’s clear is that they don’t want commercials at a volume any louder than the level at which they were previously enjoying a program,” Newsom remarked in a statement.
“By signing SB 576, California is dialing down this inconvenience across streaming platforms, which had previously not been subject to commercial volume regulations passed by Congress in 2010.”
SB 576 introduces Chapter 27.3 to the California Business and Professions Code, mandating that video streaming services maintain ad volumes consistent with accompanying content.
While federal legislation exists, it does not currently cover streaming services.
The federal Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act (CALM), enacted in 2010, requires that commercials on TV be at the same average volume as the shows they follow.
This law applies to TV broadcast stations, cable operators, and other multichannel video programming distributors.
The addition of Chapter 27.3 in Bill 576 extends the CALM Act’s provisions to include streaming platforms.