Clueless lawyers? Or subtle marketing trick?

The following web link activities are explicitly prohibited by KPMG and may present trademark and copyright infringement issues:
> * Links that involve unauthorized use of our logo
* Framing, inline links or metatags
* Hyperlinks or a form of link that disguises the URL and bypass the homepage

Via MetaGrrrl [1], Global Legal Disclaimer [2]

Am I now going to get a notice to remove the link [3]? Oooh, I do so much want one. AutoZone [4] didn't seem to have a complaint about my linking to them [5] but then again, I'm not using their logo.

And in the case of KPMG [6] there, since I'm not using their logo ( … must … resist … urge … to link … to … their … logo … ) and I'm not disguising the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) and bypassing their homepage (I am bypassing their homepage up there, but I'm not disguising the URL) so the only thing left is that rather cryptic bit about “inline links,” whatever they mean by that.

Also in their disclaimer, they say “KPMG is obligated to protect its reputation and trademarks and KPMG reserves the right to request removal of any link to our website.” Yup. You (KPMG) have that right, but that's all you have. You're trashing your own reputation on the web just fine—you don't need anyone else to help you there.

[1] http://www.metagrrrl.com/metagrrrl/index.html

[2] http://www.kpmg.com/disclaimer.html

[3] http://chris.raettig.org/email/jnl00036.html

[4] http://www.autozone.com/

[5] /boston/2001/11/09.1

[6] http://www.kpmg.com/

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