Research suggests that gossip is a natural, daily activity that is not inherently harmful, but its ethical implications depend on context and intent. According to an article published in mid-September by Vox, gossip is a common, natural, and sometimes useful practice, but the issue lies not in the act itself but in whether it harms others. The ethical criteria for gossip extend beyond the truth of the information and include examining why it is shared, what it reveals about someone's private life, and the potential damage it may cause. A whisper among friends is not the same as a destroyed reputation online. A study conducted by psychologist Megan Robbins and her colleague Alexander Karan, published in 2020 in Social Psychological and Personality Science, found that each person spends about 52 minutes a day on gossip, challenging the perception that gossip is solely the domain of "gossips." The study, which aggregated five field surveys among 467 people, revealed that most gossip is not venomous. Three-quarters of the statements about others are neutral, 15 percent are negative, and 10 percent are positive. While younger individuals engage in more negative gossip, the overall average gossip resembles a neutral statement such as "Did you know Julie is changing jobs?" Beyond being a universal practice, gossip may have collective virtues. A study published in Psychological Science by Matthew Feinberg, Robb Willer, and Michael Schultz found that sharing information about reputation can promote cooperation and curb selfishness. In an experiment involving nine groups of 24 participants, groups where gossip was allowed cooperated better, and the results were even more favorable when participants could exclude unreliable members. These informal networks can also serve as a shield, as noted in a qualitative study published in Frontiers in Communication, which found that these channels allow women to warn each other about harassers when official reports are not taken seriously. The term "gossip," often used as a misogynistic insult, can therefore be a support lever between women. Researchers refer to this type of gossip as "prosocial," as it concerns real behaviors and aims to protect others. However, the experiment took place in a laboratory setting with money at stake, and exclusion has real human costs. Thus, science does not provide a definitive moral judgment on gossip but emphasizes that it can be acceptable provided it remains factual and kind.