Yes. They've been able to do this for some time in fact.
And... they don't need to (have never needed to actually) install any 'bugs' or additional tools to do it either as the manufacturers are required by law to build 'backdoors' into their devices and systems to allow access since the early/mid 1990's. This is all done under the auspices of the
Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act under the control of the FCC which specifically;
CALEA's purpose is to enhance the ability of law enforcement and intelligence agencies to conduct electronic surveillance by requiring that telecommunications carriers and manufacturers of telecommunications equipment modify and design their equipment, facilities, and services to ensure that they have built-in surveillance capabilities, allowing federal agencies to monitor all telephone, broadband internet, and VoIP traffic in real-time.
To put this in context.. when we wonder at the NSA's (and other alphabet agencies) apathy over our outrage at what they do, they just look at CALEA and their likes and shrug their shoulders with a "meh, you should have thought about it when 'X' was passed".
The broader problem for us at least is that whilst TechBeat wasn't around at the time, other newspapers were, and as has been their failing for a long time, they've collectively been remiss in the duties to inform the wider public of the broader issues and source documents on matters like this; which is why Conspiracy Theories pop-up - which newspapers then do their level best to marginalise and dismiss through hyperbole and ad hominems so as to control the narrative, i.e. not just
what story is being told, but more importantly for them as corporations,
who is telling it - news is a highly profitable big business.
It should be noted that it's highly likely that more-of-less where ever you see the little "
FCC" sticker, it's likely the device carries this ability irrespective as to where it is in the world.
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