A Bug's Life

It occurs to me, that while young people (I'm thinking 13-17) spend a lot of time on the Internet, they are denied access to the financial instruments which are necessary for a great deal of Internet purchasing (credit cards, PayPal etc). Does this disenfranchise them from a lot of the possibilities of the Internet, including sites targetted at them (like LiveJournal's add-ons), and discounted books and music? If they want to purchase something, do they have to ask a parent to do the transaction? Or have families found a work-round where they trust a child with a credit card? Or is there a Young Debit Card banks offer for such purchases? Or are young people still stuck in a cash economy - and having to go to physical shops if they want a book or CD?