Today in the family WhatsApp group, my aunt jokingly wrote, “The head of the house earns well.” I’m not even sure how she found out about my spouse’s salary! My spouse was very uncomfortable with this, and honestly, I just hung my head. Should I tell my aunt to avoid bringing up such topics, or should I just ignore it? I’m afraid of any unpleasantness in the family, but this feels like a huge boundary violation.
If I were you, I would have written to my aunt directly and asked her, ‘Who did you hear this from?’ So it’s obvious that there’s been some gossip going around, and your aunt is spreading it. Your spouse is right to feel uncomfortable; the salary issue is a sensitive topic for everyone.
So what was your reaction in the group at that moment? Did you go silent directly or did someone else say something? Sometimes when you stay quiet, the other side gains confidence, that’s why 
@elifcan91 I didn’t say anything. My mom was in the group too, and she brought up another subject right away. But my husband was next to me and his face fell a lot. I felt like a child at that moment, I didn’t know what to say.
@feride68 it’s not right to immediately accuse her of gossiping. Maybe the woman chose the wrong word, everyone makes mistakes. Plus, your spouse may have mentioned it or someone else. The main issue is not to disturb family peace.
These things are open to misunderstanding. You can privately tell your aunt, “This should stay between us.” If you didn’t say anything in the group, she might not be aware 