California bans streaming ads louder than video starting July 1
What's the story
California's new law, which prohibits streaming services from playing ads louder than the accompanying video content, will come into effect on July 1. The legislation is similar to existing rules that regulate volume levels for broadcast and cable TV commercials. However, details about how streaming services plan to comply with this law remain unclear.
Compliance challenges
Changes likely to be implemented more widely
The new law only applies to California, but it is likely that any changes made by streaming services will be implemented more widely. This is especially true considering a similar bill is set to come into effect in Illinois next year. When the law was passed in 2025, State Senator Thomas Umberg said it was inspired by "every exhausted parent who's finally gotten a baby to sleep, only to have a blaring streaming ad undo all that hard work."
Opposition voices
Industry groups opposed the bill
The bill was opposed by industry groups such as the Motion Picture Association of America and the Streaming Innovation Alliance. They argued that streaming services were already taking steps to address this issue, given their need to cater to a range of output devices, including TVs, tablets, phones, and more.