[l_j_w]

Not so much an answer to your question, as the sites are still around, more than what made the sites enjoyable is gone.

OSNews - while Thom does well, there’s just not as much great content anymore, nor discussions.

Reddit/Slashdot - I think so many of these discussion sites died once Trump and MAGA came around, a bit of it started back with the Tea Party crazies too. So many discussions get overtaken by crazy political posts.

DeviantArt - I used to enjoy that site, now it’s just filled with AI crap.

I used to subscribe to a magazine called Computer Arts. They had a section where they showcased sites with amazing design and UX, lots of Flash fun. That died with Flash and every site being designed around a layout that allows the most ads that can be placed on it.

Long form content sites died too, or are hidden behind paywalls. Surfing the web just isn’t enjoyable anymore.