I am in a dual-phones situation myself between a wooden nookia and a huawei "smart". So, on the safe side still as only part of me is "Pwned". I don't have any Perl-related tips but here is my experience:

The first thing I learned was to search first the open-source https://www.f-droid.org before the usual app-stores. Secondly, I would make sure that the keyboard I use is not phoning home with my typing data to "improve" their algorithms. I am not sure if android standard keyboard is in this category but I changed it to something else anyway. I have also replaced the standard email app with one from the F-Droid repository. I have disabled all google maps and added open-source OpenStreetMap. As a browser I use firefox with uBlock-origin addon.

I have done some android development and I have discovered a very powerful way to access a phone when in "developer mode". This is the super-powerful adb. Plug your phone with usb, then adb can be used to do a lot on it, perhaps even doing backups, sending SMS, placing calls (i think yes). Additionally, in Linux one can mount the phone and view it as any other device. Bewarned that "developer mode" has its own "dangers" but it is not "rooted mode".

Edit: and remember, there is no way out with exorcisms or holymaries, once it's in, it's in.

Edit2: hehe there's already a module for wrapping adb: Android::ADB. Just get a long enough rope emmm usb cable and you are all set to have a transparent experience from the comfort of your shell. In lockdown, desktop is king.

bw, bliako