Maybe this should go in the pedantry thread, but I think the words about legality are very important to the meaning. Boilerplate or legally required language still means what it says.
Say you have no information that can legally be shared. If they send a letter saying, “Give me all the information that you can legally share,” then by giving them nothing you are actually complying with their request. If it says, “Give me all the information,” then you are not complying and citing the law as a reason for not complying.
Of course the actual response from some places was more along the lines of “up yours.” To go back to the example @CLamb used: If someone asks you for a cigarette and you don’t have any, you can’t give them one. But if you say, “I don’t have any, but I wouldn’t give you one even if I did because I hate you,” then I think it’s fair to give your choice not to comply primacy over your inability to comply.
