IIS Univ.J.A. Vol.13 (2), 128-138 (2024) ISSN 2319-5339 (P), 2583-7591 (O) 128 Self-Censorship and Self-Promotion: How Social Media Shapes Fiction Adil Hussain Abstract Self-censorship and self-promotion can be seen as the two parallel axes of performance of identity in the novels dealing with the cyberworld. “Cy- berbehaviour” studies the shaping of our interpersonal and intrapersonal communication on the internet. At the same time, the two axes of iden- tity performance share a complementary relationship. This paper is an attempt to study the effects of such identity performance on the narrator. The study explores the complexities of self-censorship and self-promo- tion as experienced by narrators in different contexts through an analy- sis of selected novels: Follow Me Back by A.V. Geiger and Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher etc. The “chilling effect” deals with how the narrators in these texts are silenced and stifled in their ability to speak freely owing to a fear of facing an adverse audience. They struggle with introspection and mask their genuine feelings. Self-censorship on the part of the narrators serves as a strategy for survival, security, and social ac- ceptance. This paper aims to examine the psychological, social, and po- litical aspects of self-censorship by delving into these narratives. Fear of retribution, acceptability, and the necessity of navigating inside systems of invisible rules of the internet are some of the motivations explored for the narrators’ self-censorship. How the narrators’ self-censorship impacts their agency, relationships, and sense of identity is revealed through this approach. The potential societal effects of self-censorship, such as the loss of truth, the falsification of history, and the stifling of individual agency, are also examined. The paper also aims to study self-promotion as an act of attention-seeking behaviour in terms of tactical ignoring, narcissism and validation seeking. Keywords: Chilling effect; Cyberbehaviour; Self-censorship; Self-promo- tion; Social media novels.