Observed Signal · Oct 9, 2025 · Policy Update · Source: ExchangeWire · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Ad Standards Evolve as California Targets Loud Streaming Ads
Digest covers three developments shaping advertising in 2025: IAB Europe has opened public consultation on Version 2 of its Commerce Media Measurement Standards and a new Flexible Ad Size Guidelines for Retail Media Networks, inviting feedback as of October 9, 2025. The revisions broaden the scope to include quick commerce and outline a refined measurement funnel, definitions of gross and net sales, and new metrics for quick commerce, aiming to improve transparency and interoperability across omnichannel campaigns. In Melbourne, Ooh Media unveiled nearly 200 advertising installations across five Metro Tunnel stations, including a three-screen wraparound at State Library and a 3D anamorphic display at Town Hall, signaling a major expansion of its national footprint. Separately, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 576, restricting streaming ad audio to not exceed program volume starting July 1, 2026, a measure authored by Senator Tom Umberg to curb loud ads.
Covers industry-standard updates to commerce/retail media standards and a new state advertising regulation with broad applicability.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- IAB Europe opened public consultation on Version 2 of Commerce Media Measurement Standards and a new Flexible Ad Size Guidelines for Retail Media Networks, announced Oct 9, 2025.
- The updated Commerce Media Measurement Standards (revised Sept 2025) broaden scope to include quick commerce, with future editions planned for travel and finance, and introduce a refined measurement funnel, gross/net sales definitions, and new quick commerce metrics.
- Ooh Media unveiled nearly 200 new advertising installations across five Melbourne Metro Tunnel stations (Arden, Parkville, State Library, Town Hall, Anzac), featuring a three-screen wraparound at State Library and a 3D anamorphic display at Town Hall.
- California Senate Bill 576, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, will require that starting July 1, 2026, commercial audio on streaming platforms not exceed the volume of the accompanying program content.
Connected Companies & Entities
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California Limits Loud Streaming Commercials
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB-576, a law requiring streaming services to limit ad volume to match program audio, effective July 1, 2026. The law modernizes the federal CALM Act (2010) by extending broadcast and cable audio-level rules to Connected TV and OTT streaming. State Senator Tom Umberg said the bill was inspired by his legislative director’s newborn being woken by loud ads. Industry groups including the Motion Picture Association initially opposed the bill over technical concerns but later dropped opposition and the measure passed unanimously. The rule targets the surge of ad-supported tiers across services such as Disney+, Netflix and Max and is expected to pressure platforms to adopt consistent volume controls nationwide.
California Ad-Volume Law Spurs Streaming Accessibility Case
California’s new ad volume law is prompting the streaming industry to treat quieter, accessibility-friendly commercials as both a compliance requirement and a business opportunity. Danielle Benson, a program management leader with more than 15 years at Sony, NBCUniversal and Warner Bros. Discovery, argues that accessible ad design expands reach, improves audience comfort (including for infants and people with hearing sensitivities), and can drive sales. Benson says volume limits shift advertiser incentives away from attention-by-loudness toward creative work that earns attention. She expects California’s law to set a precedent that other states may follow, elevating accessibility considerations across CTV and streaming ad practices.
California's Loud Streaming-Ads Ban Takes Effect
A California law prohibiting streaming services from showing advertisements louder than the video content they accompany takes effect on July 1, 2026. The statute extends existing loudness limits that already apply to broadcast and cable television to internet streaming. Industry groups including the Motion Picture Association of America and the Streaming Innovation Alliance opposed the bill, arguing streamers were already addressing the problem and that device variability complicates enforcement. Reporting notes that streaming companies have not publicly detailed how they will comply. The article also says a similar bill is scheduled to take effect in Illinois next year, suggesting the rule could influence broader industry practices beyond California.
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