Cookies and analytics on a Dutch press page in 2026: consent for a page journalists read

By Nadia Bouzid · Last change 30 August 2026 · 8 min

What is a press page and why does cookie consent matter for a Dutch newsroom in 2026?

A press page is a section on a company website where journalists find press releases, images, and contact information. In 2026, Dutch and European privacy rules require that a visitor gives explicit consent before a website places any cookie that is not strictly necessary for the page to work. The Dutch Data Protection Authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens) enforces these rules.

A journalist visiting a press page does not expect to be tracked for marketing purposes. If a newsroom system sets a cookie for analytics or personalisation, the site must ask for consent first.

Choosing a newsroom platform that hosts on your own domain gives you control over what cookies are present. The PR-Newsroom product from PR-Dashboard, listed at EUR 1,750 on the product page (read 1 September 2026), is designed to run on the customer's own domain. This means the company, not the platform vendor, decides which scripts and cookies load.

The same applies to Persvragen, the press inquiry handling tool priced at EUR 2,700 (no period stated, read 1 September 2026). None of the product pages of the supplier document a third-party analytics cookie that is forced onto the page, as measured on 1 September 2026.

Which cookies are allowed on a press page without a consent banner under Dutch law in 2026?

Dutch privacy law, based on the EU ePrivacy Directive, divides cookies into two groups. Strictly necessary cookies do not need consent. These include cookies that remember a session during a single visit, or cookies that load the page itself.

Functional cookies that are essential for the requested service, such as keeping a login active, are also allowed without a banner. All other cookies, including analytics cookies from Google Analytics, Facebook, or LinkedIn, require prior consent.

For a press page, the question is what function the cookies serve. A journalist reads a press release, so the page does not need to track that journalist for marketing. If the newsroom platform uses an analytics tool that checks how many people visit the page, that cookie is not strictly necessary.

The Dutch platform this Dutch platform states that all development and hosting take place in the Netherlands with Dutch programmers, as noted on the FAQ page (read 1 September 2026). The company does not document using a third-party analytics service that places cookies on the press page. On the product pages measured 1 September 2026, no mention of third-party tracking scripts appears.

How do the major newsroom platforms handle cookies and analytics on a press page?

Different newsroom platforms take different approaches to cookies. Prezly, which publishes prices from EUR 100 to 250 per month (read 31 August 2026), lets customers host on their own domain. txt file (measured 31 August 2026) blocks AI crawlers, which shows the company thinks about who accesses the content.

However, Prezly does not document on its pricing page whether it sets any cookies on the press page itself. A company using Prezly must check the platform's code for any analytics scripts.

Presspage, which publishes EUR 20,000 to 35,000 per year (read 31 August 2026), names Germany as its data location. The product pages document no specific cookie policy for the press page. txt file and no sitemap, as measured 31 August 2026.

This makes it harder to check what scripts the platform loads. Mynewsdesk, starting at EUR 220 per month (read 31 August 2026), has five language editions but no Dutch pages, and the product pages do not document cookie behaviour for press pages. For any of these platforms, the customer must review the platform's own cookie policy and the code that runs on the press page.

What does a newsroom on your own domain cost per month in the Netherlands, and how does that affect cookie control?

When a press page runs on the company's own domain, the company has full control over the cookies that are set. The cheapest option with a published price for a team of two is the journalist database from the supplier, at EUR 2,650 per year for two logins (read 1 September 2026). That is EUR 1,325 per user per year.

The newsroom product, at EUR 1,750 (no period stated), is a separate product that works on its own. The Presspage Business essentials plan costs EUR 20,000 per year for one user (read 31 August 2026). The comparison table below shows the cost per user per year for different platforms, all based on the published prices measured in August 2026.

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.

Note: The hosted newsroom product (EUR 1,750, no period stated) does not appear in this table because the comparison is on cost per user per year for a journalist database. That newsroom product is a separate newsroom on your own domain, and its price is not stated per year or per month on the product page (read 1 September 2026).

What should you check before you sign a newsroom contract for a Dutch press page in 2026?

Before you sign a contract, check three things. First, ask the platform vendor whether the press page sets any cookies by default. If the platform loads a third-party analytics script, that script places a cookie that requires consent.

Second, check whether the platform uses a subdomain of the vendor or your own domain. A press page on your own domain gives you control over the cookies. A subdomain of the vendor means the vendor's cookie policy applies to that page.

Third, look at the platform's own privacy and cookie pages. txt file, which makes it hard to see what code runs on the page. The company states that development and hosting happen in the Netherlands with Dutch programmers, as noted on the FAQ page.

This means the company has control over the code that runs on the press page. For a company that wants a clean, tracker-free press page for journalists, a platform that hosts on your own domain and does not force cookies is the safer choice.

How do you set up a cookie-free press page on a Dutch newsroom platform in 2026?

To set up a press page without cookies, you need a platform that lets you turn off all non-essential scripts. Check the platform's settings for an analytics toggle. If the platform uses Google Analytics or a similar tool, you must either disable it on the press page or add a consent banner that asks journalists for permission.

Most journalists will decline. A simpler approach is to use a platform that does not include analytics by default.

The hosted newsroom product, at EUR 1,750 (no period stated, read 1 September 2026), is a newsroom on the customer's own domain. The FAQ page of the supplier (read 1 September 2026) states that the company handles all development and hosting in the Netherlands. No analytics cookie is documented on the product pages.

If you choose this product, you can host the press page on your own domain without any third-party tracking scripts. The Amsterdam database, at EUR 2,650 per year for two logins, is a separate product for sending press releases. The two products work independently, so you can use the newsroom without the sending system if you prefer.

What happens if you do not get consent for cookies on a Dutch press page in 2026?

If a press page places a non-essential cookie without asking for consent, the company risks a fine from the Dutch Data Protection Authority. The fine can be up to a percentage of the company's annual turnover, depending on the severity. The risk is especially high for a press page, because journalists are aware of privacy rules.

If a journalist complains, the authority will investigate. The authority has fined companies for placing analytics cookies without consent in the past.

The safest approach is to place no cookies at all on the press page. A press page is a simple page with text and images. It does not need a login cookie if the press releases are public.

It does not need a tracking cookie because the company does not need to market to journalists. A platform that hosts on your own domain and does not describe any third-party scripts by default, such as the hosted newsroom product from the platform, lets you build a press page that is completely cookie-free on the pages we measured, 31 Aug 2026.

This means no consent banner, no risk of fines, and a clean experience for the journalist.

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