Called the Google+ project, it’s currently only available to a select group of Google users — they’ll soon be able to invite others — and it will let people share and discuss status updates, photos and links, just like they do on Facebook.

But there’s one key difference: Google+ allows you to share with select groups — like co-workers, friends or the moms in your child’s playgroup — instead of with everyone. It features what it calls “circles,” which are small groups of friends based on how you know them. Google+ also offers group text messaging and video chat.