现有遗忘评估骗了人,模型看似忘了,实则残留痕迹。
Erased, but Not Gone: Output Forgetting Is Not True Forgetting

- 用重训练模型作标准,检验遗忘是否真正彻底。
- 多数方法输出已忘,但特征空间仍残留原始数据痕迹。
- 适合关注模型安全与可信遗忘的研究者阅读。
机器无学习(MU)通常通过输出遗忘来评估,例如低遗忘集准确率或减弱的对数概率级成员推断。但如果输出层面的成功能与重训练不一致的表示空间残余共存,当前评估究竟认证了何种遗忘?我们通过重训练一致的表示遗忘来研究此问题,以从头训练(不含遗忘数据)的模型作为正确遗忘的操作参照。在多种无学习方法、数据集和模型上,理论分析与实证结果表明,标准输出层面的评估会系统性高估无学习的成功。在更严格的视角下,当前方法在输出层看似已遗忘,但在特征空间中仍存在结构化偏差:对遗忘样本部分对齐重训练,对保留样本仍不一致,且残差集中于与重训练相关的方向而非散乱分布。这种结构化偏差表现为遗忘/保留不对称性、方向性偏差及沿重训练相关方向的集中残差。结果表明,当前无学习多被评估为表象遗忘,而非重训练一致的遗忘。更广泛地说,重训练揭示了输出遗忘所掩盖的真相。
原文摘要 · Abstract (English)
Machine unlearning (MU) is commonly judged by output forgetting, such as low forget-set accuracy or reduced logit-level membership inference. But if output-level success can coexist with retraining-inconsistent residuals in representation space, what kind of forgetting are current evaluations actually certifying? We study this question through retraining-consistent representation forgetting, using the retrained model (i.e., trained from scratch without the forget data) as an operational reference for correct forgetting. Across multiple unlearning methods, datasets, and models, our theoretical analysis and empirical results show that standard output-level evaluation can systematically overestimate the success of unlearning. Under this stronger lens, current methods often appear forgotten at the output layer while exhibiting a structured mismatch relative to retraining. They partially align with retraining on forget samples, remain more inconsistent on retain samples, and leave residual discrepancy concentrated along retraining-related directions rather than diffuse in representation space. This structured mismatch is characterized by forget/retain asymmetry, directional mismatch, and concentrated residuals along retraining-related directions. These results suggest that current MU is often evaluated for apparent forgetting rather than retraining-consistent forgetting. More broadly, retraining reveals what output forgetting hides.
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