How safe are smartphone files?

[kyrax12]

Can apps or the phone O.S transmit file information like photo/video to a company without your consent.

 

[ImDonly1]

Can apps or the phone O.S transmit file information like photo/video to a company without your consent.

Yes which is why you are given the permissions pop-up when installing apps from the playstore. It tells you what each app is requesting. If you install a shady app with shady permissions and click OK, then yes.

 

[kyrax12]

Why can't we choose what the app can or can't access?

 

[corkyg]

Easy - you can choose what apps you install or don't install.

 

[Crono]

Why can't we choose what the app can or can't access?

This is why I use XPrivacy.

It requires root and can be confusing at first and a bit much to maintain, but you can fine tune exactly what each app has permission to, and even feed them dummy information. It's a free app, but I thought it worth enough to pay $5.50 for a pro license after using it for almost a year now.

 

[ImDonly1]

Why can't we choose what the app can or can't access?

I think you can with Appops xposed module
http://forum.xda-developers.com/xposed/modules/xposed-appopsxposed-appops-4-3-t2564865