"What was less visible then, however, were the new, positive forces that work against the digital divide."
Why there is a "then"? What does it mean?

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"then" means "at that time" or "during this period"

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I① A great deal of attention is being paid today to
the so-called digital divide--the division of the world into the info (information) rich and the info poor. ② And that divide does exist today. ③ My wife and I lectured about this looming danger twenty years ago.④What was less visible then,however,were the new,positive forces that work against the digital divide. ⑤ There are reasonsto be optimistic.

Here is. Sorry Robin, I don't know why I can't send message to you, this app stop me, can't even reply your remarks😖

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It needs more context.
Is it speaking about something that happens in the past?