A new California law targeting loud streaming ads takes effect on July 1, requiring video streaming services to play commercials at a volume no louder than the content being watched. The legislation aligns with federal guidelines already in place for broadcast and cable TV under the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act.
What Happened
The law was signed into effect by California Governor Gavin Newsom on October 2025, after being passed unanimously by the state Senate. The bill's author, State Senator Thomas Umberg, cited the inspiration for the legislation as his own experience with a loud streaming commercial waking up his infant daughter, Samantha. Umberg stated that "this bill was inspired by baby Samantha and every exhausted parent who's finally gotten a baby to sleep, only to have a blaring streaming ad undo all that hard work."
The law specifically targets the volume of commercials on streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and others. Starting July 1, these platforms will be required to regulate their commercial volume so ads are no louder than the content being played.
Background and Context
The Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act was signed into law by President Obama in 2010, regulating the volume of commercials on broadcast and cable TV. However, streaming services were not subject to these regulations at the time, as they did not exist when the CALM Act was passed.
Umberg's bill aimed to close this loophole, bringing parity between streaming services and traditional broadcasters. The legislation aligns with federal guidelines, requiring streaming platforms to play commercials at a volume no louder than the content being watched.
Why it Matters to the Industry
The new law has significant implications for the adult industry, particularly in regards to streaming and webcam infrastructure. With the rise of online content, streaming services have become increasingly important for platforms and operators. The regulation of commercial volume will require these companies to adapt their technology and workflows to comply with the new legislation.
Industry groups such as the Motion Picture Association and the Streaming Innovation Alliance opposed the bill, arguing that it could hurt small independent streaming services. However, Umberg countered that "they know which hand I use to basically control the remote. They can basically figure out how to make them within a normal range."
What Comes Next
The new law will require streaming platforms to integrate file-based and real-time processing and loudness control into their server-side commercial insertion workflow. This may involve significant changes to their technology and infrastructure, particularly in regards to managing the volume of commercials.
While the law only applies to California for now, it is likely that any relevant changes will be deployed more broadly, especially with a similar bill set to take effect in Illinois next year. The regulation of commercial volume has significant implications for the adult industry, and companies will need to adapt their technology and workflows to comply with the new legislation.
Key Facts
- The law requires streaming platforms to play commercials at a volume no louder than the content being watched.
- The legislation aligns with federal guidelines already in place for broadcast and cable TV under the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act.
- The bill was signed into effect by California Governor Gavin Newsom on October 2025.
- State Senator Thomas Umberg cited his own experience with a loud streaming commercial waking up his infant daughter as inspiration for the legislation.
- The law only applies to California for now, but it is likely that any relevant changes will be deployed more broadly.
