Animated Dog Sparks Debate: Should Loud Advertisements Be Illegal?

An image circulating on Imgur featuring a popular animated dog character has sparked a lively debate about the volume of advertisements and menu music. The illustration shows the blue-furred dog with large white eyes and a friendly expression, seated at a wooden table in a picturesque garden. The background is a colorful outdoor scene with blooming flowers and a charming house. In front of the table, a large sign reads, "It should be illegal for advertisements or menu music to be louder than the actual show/game you're trying to enjoy. CHANGE MY MIND."

This humorous yet thought-provoking image has resonated with many, as evidenced by the numerous comments it has garnered. One user pointed out that, "Technically it is illegal. FCC even has a dedicated page for filing that exact complaint. I've used it a few times." Another lamented, "Nothing beats listening to some peaceful ASMR on YouTube suddenly interrupted by an ear-shattering loud ad."

The conversation extends beyond just TV and online ads. One commenter shared a nostalgic tidbit: "Back in the old days of OTA and Cable TV, there was a device that you plugged into your TV that would mute/fuzz commercials based entirely on the volume level in the signal suddenly going up." This highlights how long-standing and pervasive the issue of loud advertisements has been.

One of the more relatable comments touches on streaming services: "Streaming services should not start music and blasting previews of a movie while you are just clicking through titles. Everyone hates a webpage that starts blasting music. I am sitting in my quiet safe living room and while clicking through Netflix looking for a title they start blasting a song I have associated with very bad memories."

There are also technical insights provided by users, with one explaining, "It's called 'normalizing' and everyone used to do it before the 90's when music and sound effects began being heavily compressed and hit with limiters until they had zero dynamics and were as loud as possible. And here we are. No one normalizes the audio in a broadcast anymore. They just let it ride."

The discussion even touches on specific instances like the Goldeneye 007 pause music, described as an "absolute banger," and the loud commercials in the Microsoft Solitaire app.

The animated dog’s sign has clearly struck a chord, resonating with those tired of being jolted by excessively loud ads. Whether or not change will come remains to be seen, but the conversation is certainly alive and well.