Streaming services’ obnoxiously loud ads become illegal on July 1 in California
Summary
Starting July 1, streaming services in California cannot play ads louder than the shows or videos they accompany. This new law aims to treat streaming ads like those on traditional TV, which already have volume rules to prevent loud commercials.Key Facts
- California's new law (SB 576) bans streaming ads louder than the video content as of July 1, 2026.
- Traditional TV ads are already regulated by the CALM Act to match the program volume.
- Streaming services have not yet announced how they will follow California’s law.
- Illinois will also require similar ad volume rules for streaming by July 1, 2027.
- Industry groups like the Motion Picture Association opposed the bill, citing technical challenges.
- Ads inserted by servers can have varying volumes due to different encoding methods.
- Streaming must handle loudness control across many devices like TVs, tablets, and phones.
- The FCC received thousands of complaints about loud TV ads from 2022 to 2024, showing ongoing viewer concern.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.