Turn It Down Act
Term Dictionary
If you come across any unfamiliar words while reading, these resources can help make everything clearer. Pick whichever one works best for you!
- Congress.gov Legislative Glossary - Comprehensive congressional terms
- NVFC Congressional Terms Glossary - Concise, easy-to-understand definitions
The gist
Forces streaming services to follow the same loudness rules as cable TV. No more commercials blasting twice as loud as the show.
Who wins, who loses
- Wins: streaming viewers, accessibility advocates, and anyone with sleeping siblings or roommates.
- Loses: advertisers losing the loudness-grabs-attention tactic; streaming platforms facing new compliance costs.
What it does
- Amends the 2010 Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act to cover internet-delivered video.
- Gives the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) 18 months to write volume-matching rules.
- Applies to professional programming only; user-generated content like TikToks and YouTube uploads is exempt.
- Volume standards must be 'substantially equivalent' to existing broadcast and cable rules.
Why should I care?
Supporters say streaming is now most teens' main way to watch shows, so the 2010 cable rule needs to follow. Critics argue the FCC has bigger priorities and platforms already self-regulate fine. An alternative being debated: require platforms to build user-controlled ad-volume caps directly into apps. Where do you land? Vote below and use "Tell Your Rep" to make sure your voice reaches Congress.