There are a variety of reasons why kids will spread rumors or engage in gossip, but most kids gossip or spread rumors to fit in with their friends as a way to feel special or to impress others.

1. To feel better: When people feel bad about themselves, they sometimes target other people to try to make themselves feel better. As a result, they talk about others to deflect attention from themselves. 
2. To feel accepted: If everyone else in their circle of friends is gossiping or spreading rumors, kids feel like they have to do the same thing to be accepted. Many times, peer pressure plays a factor in spreading rumors or gossip.
3. To get attention: When teens know a secret that nobody else knows or are the first person in the group to hear a rumor, they become the center of attention. As a result, kids who are trying to fit in or climb the social ladder might use gossip and rumors as tools to gain popularity.
4. To gain power: Some teens want to be in control, and they sometimes accomplish this by diminishing another person's status. Spreading rumors or gossip is one of the primary ways people jockey for social status.
5. To get revenge: When teens are envious of another person’s looks, popularity, or money, they might use gossip and rumors to hurt that person. They also tend to use gossip and rumors to get back at someone who they feel deserves to be hurt. Making up a rumor or spreading gossip sometimes satisfies their need for revenge.
6. To relieve boredom: Boredom is often a big reason why teens spread rumors. These teens are bored with their lives because there is no drama. As a result, they resort to rumors and gossip to spice things up and make life more exciting. One study found that people's natural curiosity can cause them to seek information even when it is not useful for them personally. That, coupled with the pleasurable feelings that come from learning, may be why gossip and spreading rumors result in good feelings.