Paul Parkin is a marketing specialist who has worked with prestigious companies such as Microsoft, Disney and Coca-Cola. He recently sat down with eMarketer.com to discuss a new trend - kids who are shopping on the internet.

When asked what items were most popular for kids in the United States, Parkin stated that clothing, food and music were the top three choices for youngsters on the web. He said that while some kids use virtual cash garnered from games to make purchases online, others are using credit or debit cards.

"We've seen kids ages as young as 12 and 13 making online purchases using both methods," he told the news source. "A lot of online social sites create their own credit system where kids are rewarded for playing a game."

He went on to say that parents make many of the financial decisions for their children, so if Mom and Dad don't approve, then the child will likely be disallowed from purchasing from a particular site.

Whether you are doing shopping for yourself or helping your son or daughter navigate the online marketplace, it's essential to keep personal information safe. Making purchases through an online secure payment service is one way to keep your data private.