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That face mask exempt card going viral is totally bogus

"These postings were not issued by the Department and are not endorsed by the Department," the DOJ makes clear.

Ry Crist Senior Editor / Reviews - Labs
Originally hailing from Troy, Ohio, Ry Crist is a writer, a text-based adventure connoisseur, a lover of terrible movies and an enthusiastic yet mediocre cook. A CNET editor since 2013, Ry's beats include smart home tech, lighting, appliances, broadband and home networking.
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Ry Crist

An image of a face mask exempt card that was tweeted Wednesday by former NSYNC star Lance Bass is not, indeed, a real thing, the Department of Justice has confirmed.

The image shows a laminated card that falsely claims the holder isn't obligated to follow any mask-wearing mandates because wearing a mask "posses [sic] a physical and/or mental risk" to that person. The image has been retweeted over 45,000 times. A similar flyer posted to Facebook by a former Republican candidate for Congress in Illinois falsely claims the bearer is protected against mask mandates by the Americans With Disabilities Act and by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996.

The card and flyer are bogus, said the Justice Department.

"The Department of Justice has been made aware of postings or flyers on the internet regarding the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) and the use of face masks due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of which include the Department of Justice's seal," reads an alert on the DOJ's info page for the Americans With Disabilities Act.

"These postings were not issued by the Department and are not endorsed by the Department."

The DOJ urges Americans not to rely on flyers and cards like these for information about the law, and instead calls on anyone with questions to seek answers at ADA.gov. You can also contact the DOJ's Americans With Disabilities Act information line at 800-514-0301.