Teenage terror suspects could be banned from using messaging apps or visiting some websites as part of a drive to tackle growing radicalisation among the young.
Under new Youth Diversion Orders, counter-terror police will be given the power to impose 'restrictions on online activity' on young people feared to be at risk of being drawn into terrorism.
It is understood that they will not be able to ban someone from using the internet completely but could stop them accessing specific websites, online forums or messaging services such as Telegram or WhatsApp.
Judges would have to decide if the restrictions were necessary and proportionate for managing risk.
The Home Office said officers will also be allowed to make young people co-operate with the Prevent counter-extremism programme under the scheme.
It comes after MI5 Director General Ken McCallum warned of a 'staggering' rise in the number of young people being drawn into 'poisonous online extremism', with under-18s accounting for 13 per cent of all those being investigated by the security services.
Earlier this month the 'Five Eyes' security alliance said it was 'increasingly concerned about the radicalisation of minors, and minors who support, plan or undertake terrorist activities'.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told MPs in a Written Ministerial Statement published yesterday: 'It is clear that while the UK has a robust counter-terrorism toolkit, including measures to prevent the escalation of terrorist risks, those tools are not currently well-designed for intervention with young people.
'The Government therefore intends to introduce Youth Diversion Orders - a new counter-terrorism risk management tool specifically designed for young people.
'Police will be able to apply to the Courts for a Youth Diversion Order, permitting them - in partnership with other agencies - to intervene earlier and to impose conditions such as engagement with Prevent interventions or restrictions on online activity. The Courts must deem these conditions to be necessary and proportionate to mitigate terrorist risk.'
She said the orders build on recommendations from Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation Jonathan Hall KC, who has said 'the profile of alleged terrorist offenders is getting younger, and includes children who may accurately be described as vulnerable'.
He welcomed the announcement, writing online: 'Good to see government statement on designing new measures to divert young people involved in terrorism away from arrest and prosecution.'
But he added: 'The devil will be in the detail, including the definition of "Youth", the types of measures available, the consequence of breach, and the threshold for imposition.'
The Home Office also said that the budget for Counter-Terrorism Policing will increase by 14 per cent to £1.1billion next year while the intelligence services will get another £499million.