Glenwood man releases documentary on pitfalls of Web dating

A recent MSN dating survey reported that more than 40 million Americans have dated online — a staggering 40 percent of the country's 100 million single adults according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Unsurprisingly, online dating safety has been a growing concern as more and more Americans log on and hook up. But at least one Glenwood Springs journalist has his sights set on exposing the common pitfalls of Internet dating, and highlighting easy steps people can take to protect themselves. Nick Isenberg, a local documentarian and valley resident since 1984, just finished a year researching and interviewing professionals and online daters, culminating in the DVD “Before you Commit: Internet Dating.” The DVD highlights a few cases of online dating that went horribly awry, and also explains how to tell if the people at the other end of your e-mail are who they say they are. “Quite frankly, you can prevent being killed with the information I have on my video,” Isenberg says. Isenberg is specifically referring to two stories that headlined the news earlier this year involving the murder of 22-year-old Brian Barrett and the suicide of 13-year-old Megan Meier, both of which apparently resulted from online correspondence with individuals claiming to be someone other than who they really were. Isenberg believes that if either had seen his video, they would still be alive today. “The best advice I offer is that to have a healthy relationship on the Internet, you have to understand what a healthy relationship is in the first place,” he says. “Also, there are so many easy things you can do to make sure people are who they say they are, like having a webcam or checking out online exactly where people's e-mails are coming from.” Relationship experts, psychotherapists, and domestic violence counselors were all interviewed, and offer specific information on identifying psychopaths and how to tell if a potential partner is violent. The video also offers specific information for gays and lesbians who date online, as well as tips for dating people who have been incarcerated. The documentary will be available for $19.95 at www.nickisenberg.com, as well as several coffee shops, bookstores and athletic clubs from Aspen to Glenwood Springs.