HB985 MD introduced

Consumer Protection - Video Streaming Services - Loudness of Commercial Advertisements

Commerce and Business Consumer Protection Rules and Regulations Television Advertising Unfair Trade Practices Noise Cable Television Penalties and Sentences Safety Standards and Best Practices Video Commercial Law - Consumer Protection privacy

Plain-English summary

1. **ONE-SENTENCE SUMMARY:** This bill prohibits video streaming services in Maryland from playing commercial advertisements louder than the accompanying video content.

2. **KEY REQUIREMENTS:**
   - Ensure that the audio of commercial advertisements is not louder than the audio of the video programming.
   - Follow federal regulations related to audio loudness to demonstrate compliance.

3. **DEADLINES:**
   - The effective date of the bill is not specified yet, as it is still in the introduced stage.

4. **PENALTIES:**
   - Violations of this bill can lead to enforcement actions under the Maryland Consumer Protection Act, which may include fines and other penalties.

5. **SMB IMPACT:** Small businesses that provide video streaming services will need to adjust their audio settings to comply with this bill, potentially requiring technical changes or updates to their systems. Non-compliance could result in legal issues and financial penalties.

Source description

Prohibiting a certain video streaming service from transmitting to a consumer in the State the audio of a commercial advertisement in a manner that is louder than the audio of the accompanying video programming or video content of the video streaming service; providing that compliance with certain federal regulations shall be considered compliance with the Act; and establishing that a violation of the Act is subject to certain enforcement provisions under the Maryland Consumer Protection Act.

Not legal advice. Summaries are generated by AI from publicly available bill text and may contain errors or omissions. Always consult counsel before making compliance decisions.