do already following followers count? - Todd Jordan

I notice that you didn't specify the rules of this contest. Hmnnn. Very tricky. ;-) - Mathew A. Koeneker

How many to go? - Barty Lambert

Ok does this qualify for Scoble's begging for followers rule? - Brian Sullivan

Existing followers count. I'm not begging Brian, when I said this I was just a hours from reaching this follow rate anyways. What's wrong with giving back. I hope I didn't come across that way, now I'm having second thoughts. - Jeremiah Owyang

I JUST HIT A MILLION FOLLOWERS! haha - orionstarr

Jeremiah: I thought it sounded a genuine offer and a nice way to give back. - Sally Church

I had to do a double take, I thought this was from Jason Calacanis - Shey

@Shey I did the same thing! But then I saw it was Jeremiah, and realized it wasn't a beg for followers but simply a prize to hand out once he hits 10,000. Very cool! - Nathaniel Payne

Danny (Who just removed his comment from here), Shey. I've just announced it from my twitter, BEFORE I hit the 10k mark. I really don't want to look like a begger, I didn't think this through clearly, my intent really was to give back to the community. As a result, I've announced it immediately after reading your thoughts here. - Jeremiah Owyang

so how many followers to you have now ? - Peter Dawson

9,973. I had aprox 9950 when I said I was going to do this yesterday, this is normal growth for me, there was no spike. - Jeremiah Owyang

@Jeremiah No problem, understood. - Shey

is it true @jowyang ? :) @kevin of diggs also is promising similar things but.... :) - Arjun

Nathaniel Payne, Sally Church thanks for understanding, read my post, I'll never do a giveaway tied to 'followers' again. Learned my lesson. - Jeremiah Owyang

Sorry Jeremiah but it sounds like you're begging and looking for an ego-boost. Your contributions here and in other social networks are too good to do stuff like this IMHO. We don't need handouts to continue to follow (or to be convinced to start). I enjoy following you (and others for that matter) because of what you say and offer to the community. We're not looking for "give backs", just valuable content and worthwhile discussions -- so please keep it coming! - Ron Emrick

Jeremiah, I definitely deserve it, right? :) - directeur from NoiseRiver

Even sophisticated electronic communicators can misconstrue messages. I saw your follower count as a "kickoff" for the giveaway. - Sally Robinson

not to be rude, but for a guy who studies social media communities for a living, this was pretty tone deaf. what were you thinking? - Andrew Feinberg

This tweet came in: "@soxgal: @jowyang Even sophisticated electronic communicators can misconstrue messages. I saw your follower count as a "kickoff" for the giveaway." Yes, that was my intent, it was a countdown timer...not begging. - Jeremiah Owyang

Andrew Feinberg. well I guess not everyone agrees... @agfhome: @jowyang not to be rude, but for a guy who studies social media communities for a living, this was pretty tone deaf. what were you thinking? I apologized in public http://twitter.com/jowyang... - Jeremiah Owyang

hey cut him some slack !! Jeremiah is one of those rare folks around here that REALLY genuiely has INTEGRITY. and NO HE IS NOT BEGGIN- so STFU and lets who is the luckly follower. Am in half a mind to unfollow and keep unfollowing and game the thing ..heheh :)- - Peter Dawson

Actually, Peter, the giveaway isn't based on his followers. You have to go to a special hidden page on his blog that he linked in a tweet and respond to a question there in order to be in the running. - Nathaniel Payne

Anyone who has followed Jeremiah for a while knows he isn't the type to do what he's being accused of. - Shey

@Shey: Come on... we all want that Internet tablet! :p (I swear that I'm kidding) - directeur from NoiseRiver

I subscribed to you, not for the tablet but for the value you contribute. - Mike Fruchter

20 to go! - ...Vezquex

lol@directeur the groveling hasn't started yet! if anything that would just eliminate me a possible winner :P - Shey

@Shey (shey): ;-) - directeur from NoiseRiver

9,980 :) - Morgan

I winked to show that I was joking. You all ready have me in your ranks. Jeremiah is good people. - Mathew A. Koeneker

Thanks for the DM Jeremiah! :-) Were you able to attain this milestone? - Mathew A. Koeneker