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By Geordon Omand, The Canadian Press

Regulating the publication of violent images and disturbing comments posted through social networking websites could do more harm than good, says digital media expert Aimee Morrison.

Keeping troubling online behaviour open to public scrutiny provides a valuable tool for staging an effective intervention, said the University of Waterloo professor in an interview on Monday.

"The more we can bring the dark thoughts that people are already having into the open, the more that we can develop the means to decipher those and find a way to get help for these people," she said.

"I think that would be much better than silencing everybody."

Morrison's comments come days after police in Halifax tipped off by an anonymous submission to Crime Stoppers said they foiled a mass shooting they allege was planned for Valentine's day.

A 19-year-old man believed to be associated with the alleged plot was found dead Friday morning in the Halifax suburb of Timberlea.

A social networking website thought to be linked to the man features pictures of weapons, Nazi symbols and images relating to the Columbine school shooting. On Feb. 5, an image circulated on another account featuring what is believed to be the deceased 19-year-old's username and the phrase: ``Valentine's Day it's going down.''

Along with recent high-profile cyberbullying incidents, commentators say this case highlights bigger questions around the balance between freedom of speech and restricting destructive online behaviour.

Alfred Hermida described the conflict as a difficult one, especially given the value we place on open communication.

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Plus side to dark online behaviour: expert