Streaming viewers in California who have scrambled for the remote every time a blaring ad interrupted their show just got a legislative fix. Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 576 on Oct. 6, 2025, making California the first state to extend the federal CALM Act’s volume limits to video streaming platforms. Starting July 1, 2026, any streaming service reaching California consumers must keep commercial ad audio at or below the volume of the program it accompanies.
How SB 576 closes a gap between cable TV and streaming
The federal CALM Act, signed into law in 2010, already bars cable and satellite providers from airing commercials louder than the surrounding programming. But that rule never reached streaming services, which now account for a dominant share of American viewing hours. SB 576, authored by Sen. Tom Umberg, directly addresses that gap by requiring streaming platforms to follow the same technical standard that traditional TV distributors already use.
The bill text ties compliance to FCC regulations adopted under the CALM Act, specifically the measurement framework codified in federal loudness rules and the ATSC A/85 recommended practice. That standard measures average loudness across a segment rather than just peak volume spikes, which means a quick burst of loud audio in an ad still counts as a violation if it raises the average above the program’s level. For viewers, this means the same protection that already applies when watching a cable broadcast will soon apply when watching an ad-supported stream on services like Hulu, Peacock, Tubi, or any other platform operating in California.
The practical question is how platforms will comply. The most likely path involves adjusting loudness normalization at the delivery stage, the point where the ad file is inserted into the stream a viewer receives. Cable operators already handle compliance this way, running automated loudness checks before transmission. Streaming services could adopt similar tools without requiring advertisers to re-produce their creative assets. That approach would produce real reductions in the jarring volume jumps viewers experience, but it would address only the final output rather than the wide variation in loudness across ad inventories from different buyers.
What the bill’s technical framework requires by July 2026
The Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee held a hearing on SB 576 on June 24, 2025, and its committee analysis confirmed that the law relies on existing FCC measurement methods rather than creating a new state testing regime. That design choice keeps compliance costs lower for platforms because they can adopt the same ATSC A/85 tools and certification processes cable operators already use.
Under the bill’s provisions, a video streaming service serving California consumers cannot transmit commercial advertisement audio louder than the accompanying video content, effective July 1, 2026. The law applies to services that deliver content over the internet, which means it reaches both subscription platforms with ad tiers and free, ad-supported streaming apps.
Because the bill references FCC 11-182, the commission’s original CALM Act implementation order, California is effectively importing the same compliance framework that already governs cable and satellite. That includes use of the ITU-R BS.1770 family of loudness algorithms and the ATSC A/85 target loudness level, which is expressed in units of LKFS (loudness, K-weighted, relative to full scale). In practice, this requires streaming services to ensure that the integrated loudness of each commercial does not exceed the average loudness of the associated program segment by more than a narrow margin.
SB 576 does not require California regulators to build their own testing labs or monitoring systems. Instead, it allows the state to rely on documented compliance plans, periodic audits, and complaint-driven enforcement. If viewers report consistently loud ads on a particular service, regulators can request records showing that the platform is applying appropriate loudness controls and, if necessary, require corrective action.
Which streaming services are covered
The statute applies to any entity that provides video programming over the internet and includes commercial advertising in that programming for California viewers. That definition sweeps in large subscription services with ad-supported tiers, free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channels, and niche apps that rely on programmatic ad networks.
It is not limited to companies headquartered in California. Any service that targets or reasonably expects viewers in the state must comply when delivering ad-supported streams there. The law also does not distinguish between pre-roll, mid-roll, or post-roll spots; all commercial breaks embedded in programming fall under the same loudness limits.
Content that is purchased or rented without advertising, such as premium movie rentals, is outside the scope of the law because there are no commercial breaks to regulate. Likewise, purely subscription services with no ads are unaffected, though many major platforms now offer both ad-free and ad-supported options and will need to configure their systems accordingly.
What viewers and advertisers should expect
For viewers, the most noticeable change should be a reduction in the sudden jumps in volume when an ad break starts. Because the law focuses on average loudness, advertisers can still use creative techniques like music swells or sound effects, but they will have to do so within a consistent overall level that matches the program.
Advertisers may see more rigorous pre-flight checks from streaming partners and ad-tech intermediaries. Files that fail loudness tests could be rejected or automatically adjusted before they are served, which may slightly alter the audio mix but should not change the core message. Over time, agencies and production houses are likely to standardize their workflows around the same loudness targets to avoid downstream corrections.
For streaming platforms, SB 576 effectively sets a countdown clock to July 2026 to bring their ad delivery chains into alignment with long-standing television rules. Those that invest early in robust loudness management will be better positioned to avoid complaints and enforcement actions, and to offer a more comfortable experience to viewers who have grown used to reaching for the remote whenever the ads come on.
