Be the friend who calms the fire instead of passing out gasoline.

Every conflict has people who make it larger and people who make it smaller, and almost nobody is neutral. Feeding a fire is easy, often disguised as loyalty, taking a side, or simply repeating what someone said. Being the one who cools it usually means saying less, asking a question, or refusing to pass something along.

The next time a story reaches you about two people you know, stop it there. Ask what the other person would say. Go to them directly if you care about them, and keep your version out of the group chat.