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They are responsible for creating blocks (storing data onto the STEEM blockchain) and verifying each other's ledger is correct. Bitcoin and many others have mining pools that own a majority of the mining. This is a very dangerous thing as they have the power to change the blockchain because the mining power is not distributed. Essentially there is no one or a group of miners powerful enough to dispute any changes to those blockchains. Our system splits this power up into many witnesses. Each witness has the power to verify and check each other so that no fowl play is taking place.

We also trust these witnesses to do be honest and good actors. Thus they are elected by us. They essentially have to be leaders to get our witness votes. Part of getting these electoral votes is performing tasks over-and-beyond what is required of them as witnesses to gain trust that they are working to benefit the STEEM community.

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