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Have you ever watched a movie at night, set the perfect volume, only to be jolted out of your seat during a commercial break? This common frustration while using streaming services might soon become a thing of the past.
What the new law brings?
According to information published by The Hollywood Reporter, streaming platforms operating in California will no longer be allowed to broadcast ads that are significantly louder than the shows or movies they accompany. The requirement goes into effect next week based on a law signed by Governor Gavin Newsom last year in 2025. This law expands the volume regulations that have long applied to traditional television and cable broadcasts.
Don’t be mistaken—this is not a declaration of war on ads. Ads aren’t going anywhere, especially if you’re using ad-supported plans. Only their volume is changing. Instead of sudden loud blasts from your speakers, ads will match the overall volume of the content you are watching, making interruptions less jarring.
Real-life inspiration
Interestingly, the legislation was inspired by an experience familiar to many households. Democratic Senator Tom Umberg introduced the bill after his legislative director told him that an extremely loud streaming ad had woken up his daughter during an evening TV session. This moment perfectly captures why so many people find inconsistent ad volume so annoying.
However, not everyone agreed with the proposal. Representatives of the entertainment industry, including companies like Netflix, Disney, Prime Video, Paramount, Peacock, and Pluto TV, opposed the measure. According to an analysis by the California State Assembly cited by Ars Technica, many streaming services were already working to keep ad volume within limits. The analysis also noted that ads delivered via server-side insertion can have inconsistent volume because different ad providers use different encoding channels.
Whether the difference will be dramatic remains to be seen. But if you’ve ever reached for the remote because an ad suddenly sounded twice as loud as the show you were watching, you’re likely to appreciate this quality-of-life improvement.