Gossip protocol refers to a type of peer-to-peer (P2P) communication between computers and digital devices in a decentralized network. As decentralized networks do not have a centralized register of all members of the network, gossip protocol ensures information is disseminated between all network members by nodes passing information to their neighbors. The protocol ensures data consistency, as members receive information continuously from multiple neighboring peers the validity of the data is constantly verified, making falsified broadcasts easily identifiable.
An alternative name for gossip protocol is epidemic protocol, as information spreads like a virus within a community.