Yes. It was one of the many reasons they got rid of the analog use of comms. Digital is far easier to record, monitor, etc.

And they have been recording everything for five decades in real time. There are video cams and audio devices you don't know are in public, and your own devices and have been for 50 plus years.

Satellite imaging and video recording have been going on for decades - all in real time.

It is well known that ATT in SF had a floor dedicated to 'spying on all domestic calls via relationship with the NSA - rather - the NSA was involved 100% at managing this division of ATT in SF.

Its all 1s and 0s... its recorded.

You have to remember - if the public is just being introduced to some technology - the govt has been using it for at least 50 years prior... gps is a great example of this ... when garmin released its first product to the commercial market - the military had been using it for decades prior...

So whatever tech you think is cutting edge now... yeah, its old news... and govt contractors like lockheed, northrup, alphabet, L3, stryker, grummin, boeing, genentech, etc... they are working on cutting edge sh#t that would blow your mind. AI, and Nanotech swarms ...