@Dan Hassan perhaps you're thinking about the ssb system which @Kieran has already drafted which where you can ask friends if they're happy to be your backup and when tey say yes you send out the shard?

Or were you thinking a different process.

5 backups making 30 people involved in the social backup

actually at most 30, at least it's 5.

e.g. I send a shard to myself via email, and 4 others to the other participants. I think "should I send myself one of the backups" is one of the interesting questions that came up talking to @Alanna while she set up her wallet the other night. I think maybe it's ok if you've got a 3/5 quorum for recovering seed? Anyway, I sent 2 of my 5 to some of you. That means the group has most of what they need, but they can't take control of my wallet.... but they can sign a transaction which drains the account, so that point it probably moot ....

yeah I'm converted - in groups of >= 5, just share your key with the other memebers. And don't ever let a quorum ride on the same plane!