Stating it doesn't take a great deal of money or time to spread happiness, Yahoo has announced the launch of a campaign called "You In?" said to be designed to "inspire a ripple of kindness around the world".

Yahoo is asking Yahoo users to visit kindness.yahoo.com and post online status messages there describing their good deeds, as part of its wider "Purple Acts of Kindness" scheme.

"I just dropped off a coat from my closet at a homeless shelter, You In?" or "I paid the toll fee for the car behind me, You In?" are examples Yahoo gives as to the kinds of acts of kindness they are hoping to inspire.

The messages can be shared via social networks and will be displayed on an interactive global map on the campaign's website at kindness.yahoo.com.

So far over 2000 people have posted, although a look at the map shows the UK is a kindness-free zone with no purple heart markers seeming to show up.

"We believe that one small act of kindness can ignite a ripple of generosity and we hope to inspire the Yahoo! community to create a wave of goodwill around the world", said Meg Garlinghouse, senior director of Yahoo for Good.

"Update your status to share what you're doing to spread holiday joy and inspire others to also pay it forward".