The purpose of this study is to examine the social and governmental organizations' increasing use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the management of the city. The aim is to understand how the ICTs can be used as an alternative way to redefine the relationship between state and society, replacing traditional urban policies for collaborative forms of interaction between social agents. Among the results achieved by the research, it is possible to point out the development of a methodology capable of identifying the principles of organization, coordination, connection and interaction that constitute the existence of techno-social networks. The application of the methodology in the cities of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo presented indicators, graphs and political practices. The analysis of these data shows that the networks are constituted by a mobile, fluid and flexible architecture; and that they are organized around common political actions and formed by a collective identity that approximates the agents and the techno-social networks. The principles that mediate this cohesion are sharing, trust and solidarity, which redefine the forms of power organization toward alternatives of political organization and social development.
Techno-social networks; Public policies; Democracy; Information and communication technologies; Social innovation
