Overview

• SB 576 makes it illegal for streamers to run commercials louder than the programs they interrupt, with enforcement beginning July 1, 2026.
• The law’s text requires services to not transmit the audio of commercial advertisements louder than the video content they accompany.
• California’s rule extends principles of the 2010 CALM Act, which curbed loud ads on broadcast and cable but did not cover streaming.
• Authored by Sen. Tom Umberg and inspired by a staffer’s newborn being awakened by loud ads, the bill passed unanimously after amendments barred private lawsuits and left enforcement to the state attorney general.
• Because major platforms are based in California, companies may implement changes nationwide, and the move could renew pressure for federal updates to cover streaming.