> Genetics regulations, while I absolutely realize their necessity, have made it difficult for me to expand my side business into the EU. This would just be another road block for innovation.
When I look at GDPR I see a safeguard against mass surveillance and dystopian add ruled societies.
The "consent" popups you see on loads of websites these days actually run counter to the GDPR because they usually opt-in by default or tie consent to uses for which that consent is not necessary. They also rarely provide detailed information about what data is used and what they do with it.
The point is that there may be multiple lawful bases for collecting the same personal data and it may be used for multiple purposes. The fact that consent was one of those bases does not necessarily convey a right to erasure if others still apply after consent is withdrawn.
Moreover, given that one of the other lawful bases for processing is the infamous "legitimate interest" umbrella, which could cover almost anything or almost nothing depending on subjective interpretation, the whole situation is quite ambiguous.