A New Law Aims To Ban An Annoying Ad Problem On Disney+

Disney’s streaming service offers tons of Disney and Pixar films, shows, and more thanks to its partnerships with Hulu and ESPN. Disney+ has changed quite a bit since its initial launch in 2019, and now a new law is aimed at banning a specific type of ad on the streaming platform.

©Disney

The new California law intends to stop advertisements from turning up the volume while you’re watching, according to the BBC. The new law says advertisements cannot be louder than the main video content being watched.

This law builds on a federal law that “sets the volume of ads on broadcast TV and cable stations to include streaming platforms.” Opponents of the new law argued it would be “difficult to implement” because the streaming platforms don’t have the same control over ads that broadcast TV and cable stations do. The Motion Picture Association and the Streaming Innovation Alliance, which represent streaming services including Disney and Netflix, initially opposed the bill.

©Disney

The initial law, called the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM), was passed in 2010, and it was aimed at turning down the volume on TV and radio station ads.

©Disney

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the new ban on October 6th, 2025. When he signed the bill, Newsom said, “We heard Californians loud and clear, and what’s clear is that they don’t want commercials at a volume any louder than the level at which they were previously enjoying a program.”

Gov. Gavin Newsom ©ABC

Existing federal law requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to create regulations that require commercials to have the same volume as the media they are part of. In February 2025, the FCC confirmed it had received thousands of complaints regarding loud commercials over the past several years, many of which were about streaming services. The new law, which will begin on July 1st, 2026, prohibits streaming services in California from “transmitting the audio of commercial advertisements louder than the video content the people are watching.”

©Disney

Amendments were made to the bill that will prevent individuals or private parties from suing streaming services for violating the law. The state is home to several headquarters of streaming platforms like Netflix and Hulu. Amazon produces several of its Prime Video shows and movies in the state as well.

We’re eager to see the impact of the bill, as people who have definitely been impacted by the volume skyrocketing when ads come on during our movies and shows. As always, be sure to keep following DFB for more news and updates.

CONFIRMED: A Popular Disney+ Perk Is Back!

Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!

WE KNOW DISNEY.
YOU CAN, TOO.

Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation.

Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!

What are your thoughts on this new law? Tell us in the comments!