California Extends CALM Act to Streaming

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 576, extending the 2010 CALM Act's loudness rules to streaming platforms such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime and YouTube. The law bars commercials from playing louder than the programs they interrupt and requires companies to comply by July 2026. It was prompted by thousands of complaints, including from a lawmaker’s aide whose newborn was repeatedly awakened by blaring ads. The bill initially drew opposition from industry groups including the Motion Picture Association, which raised technical concerns about ads coming from varied sources, but opponents eased after lawmakers added legal protections that shield platforms from private lawsuits and assigned enforcement to the state attorney general. Some implementation details — including how streaming ads will be monitored and regulated in practice — remain unclear.