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Maybe it's possible to track some of the big owners of steem here on steemit and see if there are transactions that match up with the movements on the market. If that is the case, then you'd have a hint that they balance the price. But I'd say if it is done, then they do it via a third party outside of steemit, to make sure it can't be traced back.

Yes, it is wide open. https://steemwhales.com/ Shows a lot of information and you could slowly parse through some of the data that way and by clicking on user accounts.

Of course, when you start clicking on user accounts and then see the transfers of money to different accounts and such, it makes you wonder even more. Maybe someone could make an app that links it all together, but it cost money to ping the blockchain for information.

That's a great and depressing link to the whales. I have not even remotely reached the average... but I did something with the stats there: Maybe you like it