Hi there! State channels are not a centralized system. The transactions are signed from your personal phone. If you take funds out of the channel you can do so without permission. STK ensures that the owing amount is left behind.
Hello!
Thanks for your question! The payment channel solves that problem. Payment channels don't need to be mined -- as soon as the signature is there, the commitment has been made (that's the "promise"). The settlement/mining happens at opening and closing the channel.
Hope that helps!
Somewhat.
So...the payment channel is centralised and relies on a Trusted Third Party?