California law targeting loud streaming ads takes effect on July 1

This week marks a significant shift in the world of streaming advertisements as a new California law is set to take effect, prohibiting streaming services from airing ads that are louder than the accompanying video content. This law, which becomes effective on July 1, builds upon existing regulations that already limit the volume of broadcast and cable television commercials. As streaming platforms prepare to comply with this legislation, they have yet to disclose the specific measures they will implement to adhere to the new rules. Currently, these volume restrictions apply only within California, but there is a strong possibility that similar adjustments will be adopted more widely, especially with a comparable law anticipated to launch in Illinois next year. The bill, passed in 2025, was championed by State Senator Thomas Umberg, who shared that it was motivated by the frustrations of parents trying to put their babies to sleep, only to be disrupted by excessively loud streaming ads. Despite the intention behind the law, it faced opposition from industry groups like the Motion Picture Association of America and the Streaming Innovation Alliance. These organizations argued that streaming services were already taking steps to manage ad volume and highlighted the challenges posed by diverse output devices, such as televisions, tablets, and smartphones.