Conditional Recall

TL;DR

This paper examines the game theoretic implications of a technology enabling agents to selectively forget information, exploring its potential applications and strategic considerations in various scenarios.

Contribution

It introduces a formal analysis of how memory-erasing technologies impact strategic decision-making and agent behavior in game theory contexts.

Findings

Memory erasure affects strategic equilibrium outcomes

Agents may use forgetting to influence others' beliefs

Potential applications include privacy and strategic deception

Abstract

In the neon-lit nights of 2026, Johnson \& Johnson unveiled X. A pill, not larger than a snowflake, that promised a tempest of change. This miraculous drug didn't just allow people to cherry-pick memories to erase from their minds, it could also leave a reminder of this erasure in the minds of those who ingested it. Amidst the iconic red-bricked walls of Harvard Law, you, with books in one hand and dreams in the other, are on a mission. You are not just another student; you carry the hope of revolutionizing the archaic chambers of the legal world. Each night, as you pore over the tomes of law, you wonder what greatness society can achieve. On a cold evening, your phone buzzes. It's Dex, your old college friend turned underground dealer. His message is simple: ``Got X. Special price for you.'' The temptation swirls around you. Would you trade the lessons of the past for a clearer, yet incomplete future? The decision rests in your hands. We explore the game theoretic implications of a technology (such as TEEs) that allows agents to commit to forget information and discuss several applications.