Google's example of how +1 recommendations will appear in search results.

There's some confusion over Google's launch of "the +1 button" Wednesday, perhaps fueled by the lead on this NYT story: Google Introduces +1, and Settles Charges Over Buzz

Google is trying social networking again, even as it pays a price for earlier privacy blunders.

Google introduced its latest social tool on Wednesday, the same day it settled with the Federal Trade Commission over charges of deceptive privacy practices last year for Buzz, the social networking tool in Gmail...

Understandably, I got an email this morning asking, "But who are your Google friends?"

Download Squad clarifies: Google +1 finally unveiled, probably not what you expected it to be

Google didn't exactly surprise anyone by announcing +1, but they did throw plenty of people for a loop. +1 isn't what most people expected it to be; it's technically social, but it's not social like a social network. The phrase "plus one" has nothing to do with dining out or going to parties. Google Profiles did not suddenly gain any sort of hyper-social layer. No, its name is actually more literal than even those examples, because all +1 is, is a tiny little box that says "+1" next to search results....

Basically, +1 is a "Like" button for Google Search....

As with everything that Google rolls out, it's going to take a while for everybody to start seeing little +1's all over their search results. Technically, the service isn't even active yet unless you go to Google Experimental Search and enroll in the experiment, but even after doing that my search results are barren and antisocial....

At the Official Google blog:

So how do we know which +1’s to show you? Like social search, we use many signals to identify the most useful recommendations, including things like the people you are already connected to through Google (your chat buddies and contacts, for example). Soon we may also incorporate other signals, such as your connections on sites like Twitter, to ensure your recommendations are as relevant as possible. If you want to know who you're connected to, and how, visit the “Social Circle and Content” section of the Google Dashboard.

To get started +1’ing the stuff you like, you’ll need to create a Google profile—or if you already have one, upgrade it. You can use your profile to see all of your +1’s in one place, and delete those you no longer want to recommend. To see +1’s in your Google search results you’ll need to be logged into your Google Account.

It certainly sounds like something the spammers who promise to make your site -- every site! -- number one in search results will be all over. And there is no guarantee that that assortment of people you didn't want to offend by rejecting invitations to follow or friend are looking for the same results you are.