California Sets Advertising Volume On Streaming Platforms, Can't Be Tougher Than Main Content

California Governor Gavin Newsom (photo: official California Government website)

JAKARTA - California Governor Gavin Newsom has officially signed the SB 576 Bill, which aims to limit ad volume on streaming services such as Netflix and others.

Appointed by Senator Thomas Umberg, this rule is intended to ensure ads don't sound louder than the main content users are watching.

"We heard clearly the complaints of Californians, and it's clear that they don't want the ads to be played with a harder volume than the programs they're enjoying," Newsom said in a statement.

This new policy expands the scope of the Commercial Administration Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act which was passed by the United States Congress in 2010.

If previously the regulation only applies to television broadcasts and cable operators, now digital streaming services are also required to comply with similar provisions.

Meanwhile, Senator Umberg revealed that the inspiration for this bill comes from the experiences of parents who are disturbed by loud streaming advertisements while their child is asleep.

"The SB 576 brings much-needed calm in the California household," he said.

With the ratification of SB 576, California became the first state in the United States to specifically regulate ad volume levels on digital streaming platforms.