I always thought of a white lie as not exactly telling exactly what you think. For instance, it's mothers day and we are doing a big feast for mom - ribs on the grill, shrimp, corn on the cob, slaw, beans, etc., etc.
She was getting cranked up in her bedroom trying on outfit after outfit. She felt like she looked fat in every one of them. She has gained a fair amount of weight over about three months. She wanted something where it wouldn't be noticeable. I said I liked best what she had on two outfits ago. I said it hid all her weight gain and was very slimming. It doesn't hide all her weight gain. It hid her weight gain best of all the outfits but it didn't hide it all. So to me, that's a white lie. You aren't brutally truthful and your intent is to make someone relax and not feel bad.
I don't feel the Spirit nagging at my mind that I did a deceitful and bad thing. I feel I made someone feel better. I'll let Him be the judge of if I committed an atrocity.
My own mind and heart are not condemning me or telling me to "make things right."