California Just Banned Loud Streaming Ads

Summary:

• Starting July 1, 2026, streaming ads in California must match show or movie volume.

• Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill 576 extending CALM Act standards to streaming platforms.

• The rule ensures ads can’t be louder than programs, benefiting viewers and requiring platforms to comply.

Starting July 1, 2026, streaming ads in California must match the average volume of the show or movie they’re attached to.

Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 576 into law on Oct. 6, 2025, extending TV’s long-standing CALM Act standards to streamers like Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, and YouTube. 

Great! Now we won’t be watching commercials like this

pic.twitter.com/KqdGYY0clL

— B&M BENTLEY🎢 (@bhadbentley) October 8, 2025

The rule is that commercials can’t play louder than the program, measured against the same “average loudness” approach used on broadcast and cable under the federal CALM Act. Experts note this is enforced via standardized loudness algorithms that networks already use, a blueprint streamers can adopt. 

The bill, authored by State Sen. Tom Umberg, was born from a very modern parenting gripe. His legislative director’s newborn kept getting jolted awake by blaring ads, an anecdote Newsom’s office highlighted when announcing the signing. The governor said Californians “don’t want commercials at a volume any louder than the level at which they were previously enjoying a program.” 

For viewers, this should mean fewer frantic scrambles for the remote during ad breaks on ad-supported tiers. For platforms, it means aligning with CALM-style loudness controls across their ad pipelines. The law applies to streaming services that serve California consumers and kicks in on July 1, 2026.

The final text also clarifies there is no private right of action, with reporting indicating enforcement is limited to the state attorney general. 

Streaming escaped TV’s volume rules for more than a decade even as ad-supported tiers exploded. California’s move, given the state’s outsized role in entertainment and tech, could set a de facto standard well beyond its borders.