California requires streaming ads to match program volume

California on Monday enacted a law requiring streaming services to limit the volume of advertisements so they are no louder than the programs they interrupt, a change supporters say will end jarring commercial bursts that have frustrated viewers. Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 576, which takes effect July 1, 2026, and applies to video streaming services that serve consumers residing in the state.

Under SB 576, streaming platforms must ensure that the audio level of commercial advertisements does not exceed the average loudness of the program content they accompany. The measure applies to services that currently insert ads into streaming video, a practice that has grown as subscription tiers with advertising have become more common. Newsom said after signing the bill, "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."

The law extends to streaming the protections established for broadcast and cable television by the federal Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act, known as the CALM Act, which set limits on commercial loudness in...