I think that you are getting downvoted because people don't understand what you are trying to say. I don't understand it either. Yes, the NSL and gag order are

I think that you are getting downvoted because people don't understand what you are trying to say. I don't understand it either. Yes, the NSL and gag order are effectively one and the same. However, the point of these "warrant canaries" is that they don't have to talk about the request to let people know that they have likely received one. They simply remove their existing statement that they have never previously seen one. The theory is that the government cannot compel you to continue to make a statement now that it is false and your removal doesn't technically constitute a disclosure of the NSL. AFAIK, this theory has never been tested in court.