Are there restrictions as to who/what may be addressed in a blog?

Question

I have been publicly named in repeated blogs, being called a whole array of untrue and vicious things, like thief, liar, fraud, etc. This person has "threatened" to publish my rap sheet and booking photos (both, however are non-existent), has published my tax, real estate and dmv information. (all of which is, of course, available online anyway)
I am a private person, yet my real name is being used. Do I have any recourse? The hosting company simply refers me to the blogger. The blogger remains anonymous however, and unknown to me. This has gone on for about a year now.

Some Additional Details:
This is not a yahoo issue. They are not yahoo blogs. So reporting to Yahoo will not help me at all.
I am a private person, though clearly this person knows and uses my real name. Changing accounts or screen name will not help me when I am being libeled in public with my real world name. That is my problem...s/he is using my real name, my real address, etc.

Answer 1

Mr. Rumsfeld, Should you really be posting on yahoo answers?

Answer 2

You should refer to the Yahoo Terms of Service which state in part:

"You agree to not use the Service to:

upload, post, email, transmit or otherwise make available any Content that is unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, tortious, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, libelous, invasive of another's privacy, hateful, or racially, ethnically or otherwise objectionable;

"stalk" or otherwise harass another; and/or

collect or store personal data about other users in connection with the prohibited conduct and activities set forth in paragraphs a through m above."

Also remember that:

"You understand that all information, data, text, software, music, sound, photographs, graphics, video, messages, tags, or other materials ("Content"), whether publicly posted or privately transmitted, are the sole responsibility of the person from whom such Content originated."

I question how the individual learned of YOUR identity in the first place in order to post the information you mention. If it because you originally provided the information....then you've messed up!

Based upon your question, I would start by sending TOS Violation notices to Yahoo everytime you see the violation.

Will this help....maybe...maybe not....however, a true solution would be to either change your account name or just ignore the nonsence!

Best wishes.