And if I may be so bold to add a fourth reason, gossip has always been a form of social currency. It feels good to be privy to secrets and have information that

And if I may be so bold to add a fourth reason, gossip has always been a form of social currency. It feels good to be privy to secrets and have information that other people do not have. Gossip on the internet is a supercharged version of this, the best gossip going viral. Couple this with an increased access to information and gossip by the middle and lower class: Old governments were much more able to keep their secrets from the middle and lower class. The media was much more controlled by those in power. Journalists in my country still refuse to write about certain secrets and conspiracies concerning politicians and royalty. But plenty of bloggers do. This reinforces the beliefs in conspiracies, especially if it later turns out to be validated by the old media.