substitute

I think the phenomenon you're referring to here is related to the mammalian grooming urge, no joke. In rats, friendly grooming strengthens the bond between the specific animals participating, but it also emphasizes that those two animals both belong to the same larger social group. It says both "I specifically accept you specifically" and "You are part of my pack." I think people often use information this way, as a tool for reinforcing commonality. By talking about the weather, or the death of a minor celebrity, or who was kissing whom at the Christmas party, you're both establishing a connection with a specific other person and establishing a connection between both of you and the pack. The point isn't to disseminate information, it's to make sure that everyone in the pack has the same odor, or, in human terms, the same understanding of our shared experience.

I hereby propose that a piece of information used as a tool for social grooming be referred to as a "greme."