plotki

Plotki is the Polish word for rumors or gossip. It refers to informal talk about people and events, especially information about private life or sensational topics. Plotki can circulate in everyday conversation, but also through media, social networks, or gossip columns in tabloids.

Gossip often serves social functions: it can strengthen group bonding by sharing norms and expectations, signal status, or regulate behavior. It can also transmit information efficiently when formal channels are slow. However, it frequently involves unverified or false statements and can harm reputations, invade privacy, or fuel discrimination.

Common categories include personal gossip, workplace gossip, celebrity gossip, and political rumors. Plotki spread through word of mouth, online posts, comments, memes, or sensational headlines; the speed of online networks makes rumors hard to contain, for better or worse.

In Polish culture and media, plotki are a long-standing feature and are reflected in gossip columns, talk shows, and online communities. Public figures may respond to plotki; laws on defamation in Poland place responsibilities on speakers and platforms.

See also: rumor, gossip, misinformation, defamation.