https://github.com/rails/rails/blob/4-0-stable/actionpack/lib/action_view/helpers/form_options_helper.rb#L674-L681
Rails collection_check_boxes includes a hidden field with the same name but not value, so that if some checkboxes were checked, then all are unchecked there is something sent to show the application the change in state - else it sees nothing for checkboxes and doesn't update those values.