A PETITION launched by Katie Price to make it more difficult for online trolls to be anonymous has received more than 140,00 signatures.

Brighton-born Katie Price started the petition to make it a legal requirement for anyone opening a new social media account to have to provide a verified form of ID.

The TV personality has said she hopes that by lifting the ability to be anonymous it will make it easier to trace people posting abusive messages.

The petition has now passed the 100,000 signatures stage, which means parliament will consider it for debate.

Katie’s son Harvey has received “harsh” and “racial” abuse over the years.

The 18-year-old, has an underactive thyroid, partial blindness and diabetes, as well as Prader-Willi Syndrome.

Speaking to the BBC, Katie said that she hopes the “track and control” legislation would stop people becoming victims of online abuse.

She told Victoria Derbyshire: “The way forward now is social media – everything is going on the internet.

“Trying to find these people who are making these comments, not just about Harvey but about anybody, if you report them, they shut them down and they reopen again.

“But by using this track and control, which is the petition I want to do, you have to have ID. If you are under 18 this will be a parent or guardian’s ID.

“If you do troll or do anything like that and say things you know you shouldn’t say, you can easily be tracked, because people have to remember, what you write could hurt someone.”

The petition has prompted a mixed response, with some people expressing concern the by removing the ability to make an anonymous social media account will put minors, members of the LGBT community and other vulnerable groups at risk.

Katie told the BBC that the legislation would not prevent people from using an online pseudonym and the ID would only be used as a means of contacting an individual if they posted hateful messages.

She said: “It’s just a simple thing and I don’t understand why these social media sites won’t do it.

“I know we all like to have a joke but unfortunately with these sites, people like it when they retweet them and they get more followers and this and that because it’s better for the sites.

“But if they really look at it, the number of deaths and the mental health impact caused by it, is it necessary to make these comments?”

“These comments are harsh, they’re racial, they are death threats and all sorts.”

“Something must be done, it’s a no brainer.”