Forbes "30 under 30" actually has up to 600 people a year in 20 categories, and that's just in the USA. Add in international lists and the number rises to well over 1000. Since 2011 there have probably been, what, 10-15 thousand total "honorees"? 3-5 of them going to prison is probably well below average.

For their socio-economic status? Surely.

It’s usually a red flag for someone to not engage with as they have a huge ego and pay to get themselves on that list.

It’s actually just a Forbes marketing ploy. Me and my company made it on the list and they gave us an interview and the guy that interviewed us asked “what is ChatGPT?” And he was supposed to be head of like AI at Forbes. I actually think they somehow make money from it by hosting conferences and stuff. Either way I always was sus of it

I know a couple of people on that list. They are mediocre, at best. So that casts a lot of doubt on Forbes ability/interest in filtering membership.

My sense is that you can network/buy your way onto the list.

You absolutely do pay to be on that list, definitely an anti-signal.

I was put on it in 2015 after an acquaintance of mine that was previously on the list recommended me… I only heard from Forbes a few days before the list came out, they asked me for a photo and asked if I approved the 2 sentence blurb they prepared, and that was it. For years afterwards they would try to get me to come to their events, but I never had any interest, and I assume that was how they made money… but I never paid anything to be on the list or had real interest in being on it, and I don’t think it led to anything other than my technically illiterate parents thinking that it was impressive.

“Most trusted brand” lists work like that.

Usually it's the investors who get people on these lists.

Stanford is an ... interesting place, it seems. I read that if you filtered for Stanford in the Forbes 30 Under 30 lists, they were most notable for having been accused/charged/convicted of stealing/scamming more money than their companies have generated revenue, to a ratio of nearly 3:1.