Until now, Finra has guarded its disciplinary data carefully, limiting use to one-off data requests by individuals. It blocks the BrokerCheck database from automated downloading technology like screen-scraping. Critics believe this restriction has helped the industry avoid embarrassing revelations about troublesome brokers and firms. Release of the data is âclearly sensitive for member firms,â said Mike Alfred, founder of Brightscope Inc., which last year launched a broker-rating service that includes disciplinary information. http://www.investmentnews.com/article/20120301/FREE/120309986