3. If one’s friends starts telling him lashon hara, he must first stop and ask him whether there is something constructive to be gained by his listening. If he confirms that he is telling it to him for a constructive purpose, he is allowed to listen, and perhaps act on it, but not believe it as fact.

4. It is one’s duty to listen to lashon hara, if by doing so, he can prove to the speaker and listeners and their words are wrong, or he is able to prevent the speaker from passing on the lashon hara further, all this is on the condition that he will hear the lashon hara but not accept it as fact.