Gov. Newsom Signs California Law Targeting Loud Streaming Ads

WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 2025 —  California is turning down the volume on streaming ads.

The state will require streaming services to keep commercials at the same volume as their programs under a law signed Sunday by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D). It will be the first state to regulate loud ads on platforms like Netflix and Disney+.

Senate Bill 576, authored by Sen. Thomas Umberg (D) of Santa Ana, expanded the federal Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act, which Congress passed in 2010 to prevent excessive volume in television ads. The rule, enforced by the Federal Communications Commission since 2012, applies to broadcast, cable and satellite television but not to radio or streaming platforms that deliver content online.

Beginning July 1, 2026 in California, streaming providers will be barred from transmitting ads louder than the programs they accompany. The law was intended to cut down on noise pollution and make viewing more consistent for consumers.

In a statement from the governor’s office, Newsom said Californians “don’t want commercials at a volume any louder than the level at which they were previously enjoying a program,” calling the new law a way to “dial down this inconvenience across streaming platforms.”

The Motion Picture Association, whose members include Netflix and Amazon, opposed the bill, arguing that the federal standard for television shouldn’t be applied to streaming platforms and warning it could create a patchwork of conflicting rules for nationwide services. 

Lawmakers approved the measure unanimously in both chambers. The move reinforced California’s role as a policy laboratory for digital regulation, where its market size often turns state policies into national standards as companies adjust to comply.

The measure also comes as the FCC reexamines its own ad-loudness rules following a surge in complaints about blaring TV commercials, which have more than doubled since 2023.