Abstract: This article examines the problem of the effectiveness of digital participation, and sets the goal of defining criteria for measuring it and identifying factors that act as barriers to the implementation and achievement of full results of digital civic initiatives. The diversity of understanding efficiency is revealed in the context of the specifics of social processes and digital communications. It is shown that in the Russian and foreign scientific sociological field has not been formed a wide and substantiated experience and methodology for studying the effectiveness of online forms of civic activism, which determines the relevance of the research topic, as well as the need for a methodological solution to the problem. The empirical basis of the study is a survey of 16 experts in the field of digital activism from 8 federal districts of the Russian Federation conducted. The novelty of the work is related to the typology of the criteria for the effectiveness of digital participation, based on the analysis of expert assessments: effectiveness as effectiveness, effectiveness as the level of activity and involvement of citizens, effectiveness as development (creativity and innovation), social effectiveness and social effects, effectiveness as dialogue and the development of social partnership. Within each type there is a detailed description of the indicators and quotes from experts characterizing this performance indicator. It has been recorded that experts perceive the situation with the development of digital civic participation as dual, in which positive trends collide with barrier factors and conditions. Key factors-barriers have been identified: negative ideas about the effectiveness of digital activism, low awareness of the population about digital technologies and opportunities for participation, formalization and simulation of citizen activity, etc. Taking into account the results obtained, the prospects for future research are related to the study of the social effects of digital activism, identifying criteria for effectiveness in the assessments of the initiators and participants of activism, government officials and the media.

Abstract: The object of this research is the banking pension investment and the subject of the research is the analysis and evaluatino of banking and investment risks by consumers of banking services. The authors of the article discuss approaches to understanding risk as a phenomenon of modern life and specifics of sociological analysis of risks in relation to the banking services market and pension investment. The authors offer a model for evaluation of risks by banking services consumers as a ground for understanding models of pension investments. The authors also raise a question about criteria and degree of rationality of consumer behavior aimed at evaluation of banking risks and their minimization. The article provides results of the sociological survey that involved clients of Yekaterinburg banks. The respondents aged 18 - 55 years. The purpose of the survey was to define factors that influence their choice of a bank, evaluated risks, trust in banking and financial systems, planned sources of pension. The results of the research have allowed to classify all consumers into groups depending on their attitude to risky banking operations as well as to fix a number of contradictions that arise when consumers evaluate banking services. The lack of financial literacy and orientation at stereotyped and simplified images of banks when making a decision make consumers create and intensify uncertainty of the banking sphere. Banking investments are viewed as a source of 'fast' money which limits their use for long-term pension investments. Solution of this problem can become one of the key tasks of information and educational policy in the sphere of pension provision.