As the article says, having no phone at all or having a factory-reset burner phone might be worse.
Just flatly admit I intended to comply with the request, just didn't want to be afraid if I deleted all the saucy photos of myself with my wife.
But in all seriousness I have a phone like this already and use it as a navigation device only: just gmaps, Waze, citymapper and separate Google account (in my name).
Just devoid from anything personal while visibly being in use for a lot of time.