Justin Bieber Doppleganger Becomes Internet Sensation

An Austalian high school student who has become a YouTube and Twitter sensation for his striking resemblance to Justin Bieber has caused such a stir in cyperspace the pop idol himself got involved.

17-year-old Jamie Laou, a.k.a. @iJever, was a trending topic on the social network site this weekend, Gawker reported. The teen boasts over 50,000 followers and almost 70,000 fans of his webcam broadcast, inspiring a Bieber-like culture of enthusiastic teenage girls that both hate and adore him.

"@iJever FOLLOW ME PLEASE! I LOVE YOU!!" tweeted @Sandriitaa94 of Spain several times on Monday.

"@iJever shut up!!" tweeted @Ositapatita from Argentina, "you have nothing better to do? stupid!"

Laou told Gawker that "everyone ignored me" when he first signed up for Twitter in 2009. But the teen idol's doppleganger unearthed the key to his Internet stardom: his Bieber-like face and swayed bangs. He may not have Bieber's singing talent, but his fans don't seem to care.

"Whenever I got on webcam on different sites little girls would cry. It was crazy," Laou said.

The original teenage hearthrob stepped in when the drama -- which included death threats to Laou -- got out of hand.

"sorry i don't have any problems with you and i actually appreciate your support and other male fans," the "Baby" singer tweeted in a private message to Laou. "i appreciate everyone supporting."

Most of Laou's videos are the silly shenanigans of a teenage boy, including going on video chat site ChatRoulette.com and recording people's shocked reactions who seem to think he's Bieber. He continues to tweet about videos and ending cyber bullying.

To those who both love and hate them, Laou wants to make one thing clear: he's not trying to be a copycat.

"I'm never a Bieber wannabe. I'm myself," Laou told Gawker. "I'm just a teenage kid that has cool hair."

Selected Reading: Gawker, Mashable, CBS

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