Rumor and Gossip

Rumor and gossip are two common types of communication that can have significant implications for corporate reputation. Rumor is defined as an unverified proposition for belief that has topical relevance for persons actively involved in its dissemination. Gossip, in contrast, is more akin to[Page 719] small talk about other people, typically with evaluative connotations. Informal talk about others is often speculative, and thus, the line between content that may be considered as either rumor or gossip is sometimes blurred. This entry defines and describes rumor and gossip, and then it describes their common methods of dissemination, their objectives, and their consequences.

For a message to be considered a rumor, there must be a lack of certainty as to its validity. The truthfulness of a story may ...