Yeah, I was mistaken, these are not real rules as written down. But you can often hear commentators talking about it and keepers are being trained to protect themselves in that area. They recently changed the rule that you can touch the keeper in that area (eg. during the corners etc). Around 2006, before it was not allowed. Any body contact, but keepers knowing it was not allowed for the attackers to have proper body contact with them and they kinda hacked the rule often and were fishing them or looking for the contact.

This may be particular to non-British football coverage, because this is all entirely alien to me and I've never heard this ever. It would make sense though, when I played I would definitely fuck around with the keeper during set pieces in the box, and they'd either fight back or a burly defender would be dispatched to keep me busy :-D

I played at fairly high level as a GK (you have to take a word for random guy on HN out of all places saying it) and it was common knowledge or something that was being taught from young age at higher levels. Maybe I just thought sort of everyone knows it and pay for attention when I hear commentators /studio talking about it. But you can think of it how many penalties, or rather fouls against keeper, they give when keeper jumps into someone inside the six yard box - I don't have statistics at hand but bet tons of money 6 yard box vs penalty area.