They have been listening to phone and other forms of communication since the war on drugs started. Then it grew bigger to include cells phone and Internet chat and emails. In fact everything everybody writes or posts on the Internet is being screened.

At first it was used to catch big drug shipments and deals also it was filtered down to the lower level drug dealers to try and find the tree of networks that led back to the drug kingpins.

The first bombing of the twin towers brought more surveillance and it grew bigger from there

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2013/06/07/f-rfa-macdonald-nsa-eavesdropping.html

See the white things that look like golf balls they had one huge one of these in fort Meade back in the 70's
there's also one in Canada

Want to speak to someone that you do not want others to understand create a complex language between the two of you.
Do text message use the Mayan hieroglyphics type method they can not break.

Use space alien code.

John don't count on that any communication that is out of the ordinary will raze a red flag ... cause suspicion and might get the black suits to knock down some doors.

klaatu barada nikto