Google is getting ready to launch a new feature, the +1 button. The name pretty much says it all, you see something you like, you press +1 and it ads to a list on your profile.

The +1 button can appear in multiple places, for starters it appears next to a page when browsing with Google, it also appears in Ads or Articles. Items you +1 will show under your +1 tab from your profile, since this feature is a public one, other people will be able to see your +1’s.

Your +1’s will not only show on the profile page, but also on the specific page or article you +1’d. Privacy settings will be available but since this is designed for public display, you should only +1 content you are sure won’t affect your image in a negative way.

The privacy settings only refer to the +1 page, not the +1’s themselves. It is being said that they will only show for people that are socially connected. For example when you visit a website that was +1’d by your friend, his +1 will appear to you, this can be disabled for non-Google sites. Your +1 list can be seen by someone when viewing your Google profile, you can choose whether your list should be private or public.

To +1 items you will need a Google account with an active profile.

This feature may be new in Google, but we all know it’s been around for a long time. It seems a bit overdue but considering the amount of new features Google has added in the latest year it’s understandable. Although this feature seems a bit intrusive it could turn into a public Favorites or Bookmarks page.