This study examines the direct relationships between the latent variables—fear of missing out, tie strength, and use of filters and image editing—and their effects on emotional impact and social media self-disclosure within a structural model. Data were collected from 165 university students in Arequipa, Peru, employing a cross-sectional, quantitative, non-experimental design. Instrument reliability and validity were established through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. A variance-based structural equation model was used to test the hypothesised direct effects. Findings show that applying filters and editing one’s own image is the primary trigger of emotional impact, eliciting strong affective reactions. Nevertheless, the decision to disclose personal information is driven not by this emotion but by the strength of social ties and the anxiety to remain included. Digital aesthetics thus shape the emotional state, whereas social dynamics and fear of exclusion convert the visual experience into self-disclosure. Interventions should integrate critical visual literacy with relationship strengthening to promote healthier online behaviour.