"Malicious gossip" refers to spreading harmful or hurtful information about someone with the intention of causing harm or damage to their reputation. Full definition
There were lower levels of bullying outcomes in the intervention group relative to the control group (e.g., observed bullying behavior, nonbullying aggression, destructive bystander behavior and students involved in malicious gossip). (crimesolutions.gov)
When Richard Nixon's henchmen were being justly excoriated for their political «dirty tricks,» which included spreading malicious gossip, Senator Russell Long of Louisiana recalled the dirtiest campaign against him. (religion-online.org)
By recognising actions such as malicious gossip as violence we can better appreciate that this kind of mental assault can be just as damaging as physical violence. (humanrights.gov.au)