Talking about others has a bad reputation – but it can also be a social glue that helps create bonds. This is how to harness its power for good

It’s safe to say Pope Francis is not a fan of gossip. Just before Christmas, in one of his final public appearances of 2024, he declared it “an evil that destroys social life, sickens people’s hearts and leads to nothing … gossip is zero”. Beyond the Vatican, however, gossip’s bad reputation is being reassessed. Last year a study in the US found that gossip evolved to help social groups function, by spreading useful information about individual members and encouraging cooperation. Researchers also found that people spend approximately an hour every day gossiping – and that “almost everyone” does it.

Far from it being the preserve of “small minds”, as the (annoying) adage goes, it seems that gossip is a natural social behaviour, with potential benefits. There are, however, good and bad ways of going about it. We asked experts about how to gossip smarter.