TORONTO - The software developer who invented a free way to censor your Internet to eliminate any mention of Canadian-born teen singing sensation Justin Bieber is getting death threats from angry fans.
The program, called the Shaved Bieber, is an add-on to the Firefox web browser and gives web surfers the ability to cover up any online reference to the teen pop star.
Greg Leuch designed the program with the help of the Free Art and Technology Lab after a few people complained about Bieber fever online.
One of his friends griped: "Dude, you have to do something so I can quit seeing Justin Bieber online," Leuch told the Sun Thursday.
Another friend wished there was a button to make the 16-year-old singer "just go away" from every corner of the worldwide web.
"I was like, damn, I can do this," Leuch said.
Six hours later, the Shaved Bieber was born and Internet users could start clipping the well-groomed star from their online experience -- blacking out his name and photos.
But it didn't take long for Bieber believers, or Beliebers as they like to be called, to fire back at any attempt to shave the cyber presence of their teen idol.
There have been threats -- even some death threats -- for his online assault of everything Bieber, Leuch said.
He's taking the threats in stride and has posted them online as they appear.
Other fans have been reduced to tears by the new application. One Belieber used her Twitter account to tweet the horror of having the Internet without Justin Bieber after her parents downloaded the program.
"Mum put that shaved bieber thing on all our computers!" she tweeted. "I'm like crying, i hate u (sic) sooo much mum."
Leuch is vowing not to stop with the Shaved Bieber. He says he has received requests for software to block out other celebrities including Lady Gaga, Paris Hilton and Britney Spears. A BP oil spill add-on is also in the works, Leuch said.
