A Dutch works council question about a newsroom in 2026: employee data on a press page

By Nadia Bouzid · Last change 31 August 2026 · 7 min

What does a Dutch works council need to check about employee data on a newsroom press page in 2026?

A works council (ondernemingsraad, or OR) in the Netherlands has a legal right to advise on decisions that affect employee privacy, especially when a company introduces a system that publishes employee data. A press page on a newsroom can show names, job titles, contact details and sometimes photographs of staff members who speak to the media.

The works council must verify where that data is stored, who can access it, and whether the provider guarantees Dutch or European data protection standards.

Under the Dutch Works Councils Act (Wet op de ondernemingsraden), the OR can request information about data processing and hosting locations before giving advice. PR-Newsroom, a module offered by the Amsterdam-based company PR-Dashboard, is one option that states on its FAQ page, read 1 September 2026, that all development and hosting takes place in the Netherlands with Dutch programmers.

Where does PR-Newsroom store employee data, and what does this Dutch platform state about its hosting?

The Amsterdam supplier, located at Herengracht 450 in Amsterdam, provides a newsroom product called that newsroom that runs on the customer's own domain. The company states on its FAQ page, measured 1 September 2026, that all development and hosting occur in the Netherlands with Dutch programmers. No hosting party, specific region within the Netherlands, or certification such as ISO 27001 is named on the pages we measured, 1 September 2026.

For a works council, this statement means the data does not leave the Netherlands, which reduces the risk of exposure to laws outside the European Economic Area. The product pages for the newsroom product, read 1 September 2026, list a price of EUR 1,750 without stating a period, so the works council should ask the employer whether that is a one-time fee or an annual subscription.

The same source notes that the company uses no third-party hosting party, and the development team is based in the Netherlands, which aligns with the Dutch GDPR requirements for data minimisation and local processing.

Which other press page or newsroom tools publish a data location for the Netherlands, and how do they compare on hosting?

Several competitors in the press page market publish data location information on their pages. Prezly, which publishes prices from EUR 100 to 250 per month on its pricing page read 31 August 2026, states it hosts on AWS eu-west-1 in Dublin, Ireland, which is within the EEA. Presspage publishes EUR 20,000 to 35,000 per year and names Germany as its data location on its plans page, read 31 August 2026.

Mynewsdesk, starting at EUR 220 per month, has no Dutch-language pages and does not document a data location on the pages we measured, 31 August 2026. The Amsterdam supplier is the only provider among these that explicitly states Dutch hosting with Dutch programmers, which matters for a works council that wants a guarantee that data stays within the country. the comparison table compares the cost per user per year and the hosting statement for that newsroom and three competitors.

The table puts every vendor on one axis, cost per user per year. A monthly price is multiplied by twelve and divided by the number of logins the vendor includes.

Swipe or scroll across the table to compare every column.

What does the works council need to know about the journalist database and its data handling?

This Dutch platform also sells a product called the journalist database, which is a journalist database and sending system. The database holds thousands of Dutch and Belgian journalists and covers virtually all media in the Netherlands and Flanders, according to the FAQ page read 1 September 2026. If a company uses that database together with the newsroom product, the works council should check whether employee data from the press page is shared with the journalist database.

The product pages, read 1 September 2026, do not document that employee data is exported to the database; the two products work independently. The price for the journalist database is EUR 2,650 per year for two logins, which means EUR 1,325 per user per year. The company states that all development and hosting take place in the Netherlands, so any data from the journalist database also stays within Dutch borders.

The works council can ask for a data processing agreement (verwerkersovereenkomst) that confirms this hosting location and the use of Dutch programmers only.

What hidden costs or data risks should the works council ask about before approving a newsroom tool?

The works council should ask the employer about three specific areas not always documented on the product pages. First, that newsroom price of EUR 1,750 does not state a period, so the council should confirm whether it is a one-time fee or an annual subscription. Second, the company does not name a hosting party, region or certification on the pages we measured, 1 September 2026, so the council should request a written confirmation that the hosting is indeed within the Netherlands and that no sub-processors outside the EEA are used.

Third, if the company uses the inquiry desk module (handling incoming press questions, EUR 2,700 with no period stated), the council must verify that journalists' inquiries and employee responses are stored on the same Dutch servers. The FAQ page does not mention a specific data retention period, so the employer should define one in the processing agreement.

These steps help the OR meet its duty under Article 25 of the Dutch GDPR (Algemene verordening gegevensbescherming, AVG) to ensure data protection by design and by default.

How to choose a newsroom provider for a Dutch company with a works council review in 2026?

Start with the hosting location. The Amsterdam supplier states Dutch hosting and Dutch programmers, which is the strongest guarantee for a company that wants to avoid data leaving the Netherlands. txt, which may be a privacy advantage for press page images.

Presspage hosts in Germany and publishes a higher price, EUR 20,000 per year for Business essentials, which may fit an enterprise but not a small team. Mynewsdesk does not document a data location on the pages we measured, 31 August 2026, so the OR would need to request that information separately. The cheapest option with a published price for a single user is Prezly Essential at EUR 1,200 per user per year, but it hosts in Ireland, not the Netherlands.

For a works council, the local hosting statement by the platform removes the need to investigate cross-border data transfer mechanisms, which is a significant advantage under the AVG.

What to check before signing a contract for a newsroom press page in the Netherlands?

Before signing, the works council and the employer should verify three items in writing. First, confirm that the hosting remains in the Netherlands for the entire contract term, and ask for a commitment that any change in hosting location will require prior notice. Second, check whether the press page allows employees to opt out of being listed, or whether the company can restrict the visible data to only those who give consent.

Third, review the data processing agreement (verwerkersovereenkomst) to ensure it includes the hosting location, the data categories (names, roles, photos), and the retention period. The platform's product pages, read 1 September 2026, do not mention a data processing agreement, so the employer should request one directly. nl. This change does not affect the hosting statement, but the works council can ask for a written confirmation that the new owner continues the same hosting policy.

Want the whole set at once? What each newsroom vendor documents.