I disagree!
Gossip needn't be all lies, made-up stories and/or malicious.
Gossip could be idle chatter about this and that among friends. It could also serve as a warning about things to come. Like they say 'there's no smoke without fire'...it could actually help you take pre-empting measures.
Gossip in close-knit societies is a given. It has known to save lives, help nab offenders, sieze opportunities and in even match-making!
It is just another way of spreading news, however trivial or useless. It depends entirely on YOU what you do with it. Trash it, quash it there and then if its malicious....