Carnivore definitely was, and it wasn't really kept secret. If you worked long enough in telecom or Internet service, you probably got to install a Carnivore box in your data center.

Echelon was indeed confirmed, afaik, although in less apocalyptic terms than initially described, hence deflating the related news-cycle. In a way, 20 years later, all the fuss looks very naïf compared to what GCHQ and friends do nowadays.