White lies: Necessary or Unnecessary?

My current blog topic will be about white lies. When should one use a white lie, when does a whit lie in fact become a regular more serious lie, and are white lies even necessary. Most people will say white lies are necessary for specific occasions meant to avoid drama or unnecessary conflict with one another. An example of a white lie could be if a girl or guy is on their way to meet their girlfriend or there date (doesn’t really matter which) and on the way they bump in to an old friend of the opposite sex. Now the boy or girl that bumped in to the old friend has no intentions toward their old friend yet, feel the need to simply say to their date that they were running late because of transit or traffic issues. In this case, the white lie was made to avoid conflict with one’s date or significant other simply for the fact that that person might construe what happened. Should this form of white lie be necessary? Should one need to make such a minimal lie? Should the fact make one’s date or significant other have the right to be upset? This is just a minor dilemma with youth and even with older people. In your opinion, what is the right thing to do?